Chemical Vapor Deposition of Iron, Iron Carbides, and Iron Nitride Films from Amidinate Precursors

• Published in: Journal of the Electrochemical Society Vol. 157; no. 8; pp. D454 - D461
• Main Authors: Krisyuk, Vladislav, Gleizes, Alain N., Aloui, Lyacine, Turgambaeva, Asiya, Sarapata, Bartosz, Prud’Homme, Nathalie, Senocq, François, Samélor, Diane, Zielinska-Lipiec, Anna, de Caro, Dominique, Vahlas, Constantin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Electrochemical Society 01.01.2010
• Subjects: Chemical Sciences; Engineering Sciences; Material chemistry; Materials; Ceramic; MOCVD; Metallorganic chemical vapor deposition; Matériaux
• ISSN: 0013-4651; 1945-7111
• DOI: 10.1149/1.3430105

Iron bis(N,N-diisopropylacetamidinate) [Fe2(µ-iPr-MeAMD)2(2-iPr-MeAMD)2] and iron bis(N,N-di-tert-butylacetamidinate) [Fe(tBu-MeAMD)2] were used as precursors for the metallorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) of iron-containing compounds including pure iron, iron carbides, Fe3C and Fe4C, and iron nitrides Fe4C. Their decomposition mechanism involves hydrogen migration followed by dissociation of the Fe–N bond and the release of free hydrogenated ligand (HL) and radicals. Surface intermediates are either released or decomposed on the surface providing Fe–N or Fe–C bonds. MOCVD experiments were run at 10 Torr, in the temperature ranges of 350–450°C with Fe2(µ−iPr-MeAMD)2(2-iPr-MeAMD)2 and 280–350°C with Fe(tBu-MeAMD)2. Films prepared from Fe2(µ−iPr-MeAMD)2(2-iPr-MeAMD)2 contain Fe, Fe3C, and Fe4C. Those prepared from Fe(tBu-MeAMD)2 contain Fe, Fe3C, and also Fe4C or Fe4N, depending on the temperature and hydrogen to precursor ratio (H/P) in the input gas. The room-temperature coercive field of films processed from Fe(tBu-MeAMD)2 is 3 times higher than that of the high temperature processed Fe4N films.