Reactions of First Row Transition Metal 2,4 Pentanedionato Complexes in CVD Processes

James Madison University, Harrisonburg VA

Investigators

Abstract

Professor Thomas DeVore of James Madison University is funded by the Experimental Physical Chemistry program to perform experimental studies on chemical reactions occuring during the industrial process of chemical vapor deposition (CVD). These reactions have been difficult to study in the past due to the high pressure conditions (1 mbar to ambient pressure). The PI will study the chemical reactions of several first row transition metal 2,4-pentanedionato complexes under CVD conditions. Both the kinetics of the thermal decomposition of these complexes on heated glass substrates and their reactions with water or molecules produced by the thermal decomposition will be studied. Evolved Gas Analysis - Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy will be used. The mechanism of thermal decomposition will also be studied using differential scanning calorimetry. The PI then proposes to perform parallel studies on transition metal acetates. A successful outcome of this proposal would be a model to predict the chemical reactions that could occur during CVD processes. Chemical vapor deposition is an industrial process used to coat objects with thin films of material and to produce ultra-pure chemical compounds. Optimization of these processes require some understanding of the chemical rate constants involved in the reactions. This study will gather kinetic data and will attempt to explain the data in terms of mechanisms and energetics of the processes. James Madison University is an undergraduate institution, and several undergraduate students are actively involved in this work.