Reactions of Transition Metal Complexes with Silanes and Oxygen. Chemistry in Molecular Approaches to Silicon-Based Microelectronic Materials

University Of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville TN

Investigators

Abstract

Dr. Ziling B. Xue, Chemistry Department, University of Tennessee, is supported by the Inorganic, Bioinorganic, and Organometallic Chemistry Program of the Chemistry Division for studies of early transition metal-silane chemistry. The reactions of silanes with d0 imides and dn amides will be compared with those of d0 amides to determine how the pi character of the metal-imide bond and the d electron count in the metal-amides influence sigma bond metathesis. To explore the generality of the results obtained with the imides and amides, the study will be extended to reactions between silanes and early transition metal alkoxides. Reactions of the alkoxides with silanes and of metal silyl complexes with oxygen will be developed as new routes to metal-silicon-oxygen phases. In collaboration with scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the compounds prepared in this investigation will be used as precursors to prepare silicon based microelectronic materials by chemical vapor deposition. During all stages of the project theoretical calculations will be carried out in order to understand the emerging chemistry. The objective of the research is to develop the new precursors and routes to silicon-based microelectronic materials. The first portion of this study will develop fundamental chemistry that is relevant to the preparation of silicon based microelectronic materials. Then chemical processes to yield these advanced microelectronic materials will be developed. These materials include those used as diffusion barriers and high dielectric constant gate materials in very-large-scale-integration (VLSI) devices.