Molecular Beam Study of the Surface Reaction Chemistry of Metastable Molecular Nitrogen

Arizona State University, Scottsdale AZ

Investigators

Abstract

Abstract CHE-0234766 Doak/Arizona State This research project, in the laboratory of Professor Bruce Doak in the Department of Physics at Arizona State University, examines the reactivity of metastable molecular nitrogen in the growth of nitride semiconductor thin films. With the support of the Analytical and Surface Chemistry Program, fundamental studies of the reaction of excited molecular nitrogen species to form nitride and oxynitride thin films are being carried out. A combination of in situ and ex situ methods are used to characterize the films prepared using the novel supersonic metastable nitrogen beam source developed for these studies. The fundamental information obtained from this work is relevant to the development of processing protocols for electronic materials preparation. With the support of the Analytical and Surface Chemistry Program, Professor Doak and his group at Arizona State University are examining the fundamental reaction dynamics of metastable molecular nitrogen interacting with semiconductor surfaces. The focus of this work is on understanding the mechanisms of growth of nitride and oxynitride semiconductor and insulator thin films. Information from these studies is relevant to the design of important semiconductor and electronic device processing methods.