MOCVD of TiO2 thin films and studies on the nature of molecular mechanisms involved in the decomposition of [Ti(OPri)2(tbaoac)2]

A tailored precursor namely bis(isopropoxy)bis(tert-butylacetoacetato)titanium [Ti(OPri)(2)(tbaoac)(2)] was developed which showed good promise for depositing TiO2 thin films at reduced substrate temperatures compared to [Ti(OPri)(2)(thd)(2)]. Uniform films with high growth rates (similar to10 nm min(-1)) and lower surface roughness (<2 nm) were obtained on SiOx/Si and Pt/ZrOx/SiOx/Si substrates. Electrical properties of the films on Si substrates were studied and lowest equivalent oxide thickness (EOT) was around 2 nm and anatase phase had a dielectric constant around 40. A study on the thermolysis behaviour of [Ti(OPri)(2)(tbaoac)(2)] was carried out using matrix-isolation FTIR spectroscopy, to understand the mechanistic details of its thermal decomposition. It was found that the decomposition takes place by the formation of ketene intermediates.