Kinetics and mechanisms of MOCVD processes for the fabrication of Sr-containing films from Sr(hfac)2 tetraglyme precursor

The MOCVD process of Sr(hfac)(2) tetraglyme has been studied in horizontal, low-pressure hot wall and cold wall reactors under various experimental conditions. In all the investigated conditions, the deposition process results in the formation of polycrystalline SrF2 films. The kinetics and the mechanism of film growth have been investigated by combining "in situ" FTIR techniques and "ex situ" techniques for chemical and structural analyses (energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction). Two different reaction pathways have been proposed depending on deposition temperature. At low temperature a heterogeneous mechanism based on precursor adsorption, followed by the demolition of the beta-diketonate framework, has been suggested; at high temperature, a homogeneous decomposition in which the fluorine transfer to the Sr atom leads to SrF2, CF2O, and acylketenes can occur.