Metalorganic chemical vapor deposition method for depositing F-series metal or nitrogen and metal amides for use in MOCVD

Claim 2

A metalorganic chemical vapor deposition process for the deposition of an F-series metal onto a substrate comprising: introducing a reactant gas into the reactor chamber of a reactor system, said reactant gas comprising an F-series metal amide having a vapor pressure of at least 1×10 -5 torr at 100° C., the F-series metal of the amide being ligated to at least one amide ligand having the formula ##STR13## wherein R 1 and R 2 are independently alkyl, alkenyl, aryl or di- or trialkyl-substituted silyl, or together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached comprise a heterocyclic ring; and decomposing the F-series metal amide to deposit the F-series metal onto the substrate.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 wherein the F-series metal amide has the formula ##STR14## wherein M is the F-series metal, Q is a monodentate or oligodentate ligand other than an amide ligand, x is an integer ≧1, and y is an integer ≧0, such that the F-series metal is substantially inert to further ligation.

Claim 4

The process of claim 2 wherein at least one of R 1 and R 2 is di- or trialkyl-substituted silyl.

Claim 5

The process of claim 3 wherein at least one of R 1 and R 2 is selected from the group consisting of dimethylsilyl, trimethylsilyl and triethylsilyl.

Claim 6

The process of claim 3 wherein R 1 and R 2 are di- or trialkyl-substituted silyl.

Claim 7

The process of claim 3 wherein y=0.

Claim 8

The process of claim 6 wherein the F-series metal amide is homoleptic.

Claim 9

The process of claim 7 wherein R 1 and R 2 are di- or trialkyl-substituted silyl.

Claim 10

The process of claim 8 wherein R 1 and R 2 are selected from the group consisting of dimethylsilyl, trimethylsilyl and triethylsilyl.

Claim 11

The process of claim 3 wherein the F-series metal, M, is non-radioactive and is selected from the group consisting of Pr, Nd, Eu, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm and Yb.

Claim 12

The process of claim 10 wherein the F-series metal, M, is selected from the group consisting of Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm and Yb.

Claim 13

The process of claim 11 wherein the F-series metal, M, is Er.

Claim 14

A metalorganic chemical vapor deposition process for incorporating nitrogen as a p-type dopant in a Group II-VI semiconductor material selected from the group consisting of ZnSe and CdS comprising: introducing a reactant gas into the reactor chamber of a reactor system, said reactant gas comprising a zinc amide having a vapor pressure of at least 1×10 -5 torr at 200° C., the zinc amide having the formula ##STR15## wherein R 1 , R 2 , R' 1 and R' 2 are independently isopropyl, n-propyl, cyclohexyl, alkenyl, aryl, or di- or trialkyl-substituted silyl, or together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached comprise a heterocyclic ring, provided that if R 1 , R 2 , R' 1 and R' 2 are each trialkyl-substituted silyl, at least one of R 1 , R 2 , R' 1 and R' 2 have at least one alkyl group containing a β hydrogen; and decomposing the zinc amide to deposit nitrogen onto the substrate.

Claim 15

A metalorganic chemical vapor deposition process for incorporating nitrogen as a p-type dopant in a Group II-VI semiconductor material selected from the group consisting of ZnSe and CdS comprising: introducing a reactant gas into the reactor chamber of a reactor system, said reactant gas comprising a zinc amide having a vapor pressure of at least 1×10 -5 torr at 200° C., the zinc amide having the formula ##STR15## wherein R 1 , R 2 , R' 1 and R' 2 are independently isopropyl, n-propyl, cyclohexyl, alkenyl, aryl, or di- or trialkyl-substituted silyl, or together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached comprise a heterocyclic ring, provided that if R 1 , R 2 , R' 1 and R' 2 are each trialkyl-substituted silyl, at least one of R 1 , R 2 , R' 1 and R' 2 have at least one alkyl group containing a β hydrogen; and decomposing the zinc amide to deposit nitrogen onto the substrate.

Claim 16

The process of claim 13 wherein the zinc amide is selected from the group consisting of ##STR16##

Claim 17

A metalorganic chemical vapor deposition process for incorporating nitrogen as a p-type dopant in a Group II-VI semiconductor material selected from the group consisting of ZnSe and CdS comprising: introducing a reactant gas into the reactor chamber of a reactor system, said reactant gas comprising a zinc amide having a vapor pressure of at least 1×10 -5 torr at 200° C., the zinc amide having the formula ##STR17## wherein R 1 , R 2 , R' 1 and R' 2 are independently alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, or di- or trialkyl-substituted silyl, or together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached comprise a heterocyclic ring, provided that R 1 , R 2 , R' 1 and R' 2 are selected such that the zinc amide is heteroleptic; and decomposing the zinc amide to deposit nitrogen onto the substrate.

Claim 18

A metalorganic chemical vapor deposition process for incorporating nitrogen as a p-type dopant in a Group II-VI semiconductor material selected from the group consisting of ZnSe and CdS comprising: introducing a reactant gas into the reactor chamber of a reactor system, said reactant gas comprising a zinc amide having a vapor pressure of at least 1×10 -5 torr at 200° C., the zinc amide having the formula ##STR17## wherein R 1 , R 2 , R' 1 and R' 2 are independently alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, or di- or trialkyl-substituted silyl, or together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached comprise a heterocyclic ring, provided that R 1 , R 2 , R' 1 and R' 2 are selected such that the zinc amide is heteroleptic; and decomposing the zinc amide to deposit nitrogen onto the substrate.

Claim 19

A metalorganic chemical vapor deposition process for the deposition of an F-series metal onto a substrate comprising: introducing a reactant gas into the reactor chamber of a reactor system, said reactant gas comprising an F-series metal amide having a vapor pressure of at least 1×10 -5 torr at 100° C., the F-series metal amide having the formula ##STR18## wherein M is the F-series metal, Q is a monodentate or oligodentate ligand other than an amide ligand, R 1 and R 2 are independently alkyl, alkenyl, aryl or di- or trialkyl-substituted silyl, or together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached comprise a heterocyclic ring, x is an integer ≧1, and y is an integer ≧0, such that the F-series metal is substantially inert to further ligation, provided that the F-series metal of the amide is ligated to at least one amide ligand in which at least one of R 1 and R 2 is di- or trialkyl-substituted silyl; and decomposing the F-series metal amide to deposit the F-series metal onto the substrate.

Claim 20

A metalorganic chemical vapor deposition process for the deposition of an F-series metal onto a substrate comprising: introducing a reactant gas into the reactor chamber of a reactor system, said reactant gas comprising an F-series metal amide having a vapor pressure of at least 1×10 -5 torr at 100° C., the F-series metal amide having the formula ##STR18## wherein M is the F-series metal, Q is a monodentate or oligodentate ligand other than an amide ligand, R 1 and R 2 are independently alkyl, alkenyl, aryl or di- or trialkyl-substituted silyl, or together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached comprise a heterocyclic ring, x is an integer ≧1, and y is an integer ≧0, such that the F-series metal is substantially inert to further ligation, provided that the F-series metal of the amide is ligated to at least one amide ligand in which at least one of R 1 and R 2 is di- or trialkyl-substituted silyl; and decomposing the F-series metal amide to deposit the F-series metal onto the substrate.

Claim 21

The process of claim 16 wherein at least one of R 1 and R 2 of each amide ligand ligated to the F-series metal is di- or trialkyl-substituted silyl.

Claim 22

The process of claim 17 wherein at least one of R 1 and R 2 of each amide ligand ligated to the F-series metal is selected from the group consisting of dimethylsilyl, trimethylsilyl and triethylsilyl.

Claim 23

The process of claim 16 wherein R 1 and R 2 of each amide ligand ligated to the F-series metal is di- or trialkyl-substituted silyl.

Claim 24

The process of claim 19 wherein y=0 and the F-series metal amide is homoleptic.