Thin Film Precursors, Properties and Applications: Chemical Vapour Deposition and Atomic Layer Deposition of Group 4, 11 and 13 Elements and Their Oxides

Brass and bronze substrates were coated by atomic layer deposition (ALD) with alumina and titania in small and large scale batches. These films were evaluated for use as protective and cosmetic coatings. Optimization of deposition for uniform coatings on individual coins and across a batch for Al2O3 and TiO2 films was performed. High-quality, uniform coatings were achieved with multi-pulse programs.The interference colours resulting from thin films of Al2O3 deposited by ALD on silicon were analyzed using a robotic gonioreflectometer. A series of thin films were deposited and their reflectivity values obtained for the visible spectrum. A comparison of these values with the predictions of computer simulations has revealed deviations from predicted reflectivities. Simulation predicts larger iridescence than what was observed. Alumina films were deposited by ALD on flat and nanostructured silicon substrates, and incorporated into PEDOT-Al2O3-silicon architectures that were then evaluated as photovoltaic devices. The reverse saturation currents observed on flat devices made with Al2O3 films were similar devices made with an SiO2 layer. The structured samples with Al2O3 showed a considerable increase in efficiency (of up to five times) over the equivalent flat samples.A new indium(III) guanidinate, (In[(NiPr)2CNMe2]3, was synthesized. Thermogravimetric analysis showed elemental indium was produced from the compound as a residual mass. Thermolysis in a sealed NMR tube showed carbodiimide and protonated dimethyl amine by 1H NMR. Chemical vapour deposition (CVD) experiments above 275 °C with air as the reactant gas produced cubic indium oxide films with good transparency.Dimeric silver(I) and gold(I) tert-butyl-imino-2,2-dimethylpyrrolidinates were synthesized and evaluated for thermal stability by thermal gravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry and variable-temperature solution NMR. The compounds were used to deposit metallic films.