Method of growing films on substrates at room temperatures using catalyzed binary reaction sequence chemistry

Claim 1

A method of growing a film that includes a first element and a second element on a functionalized substrate having a first functional group, the method comprising: carrying out a first half-reaction of a binary reaction sequence by exposing the substrate to a first catalyst and a first molecular precursor comprising the first element of the film bonded to a second functional group resulting in the first element of the first precursor being bonded to the substrate and the first functional group being displaced; and carrying out a second half-reaction of the binary reaction sequence by exposing the first precursor to a second catalyst and a second molecular precursor comprising the second element of the film resulting in the second element of the second precursor being bonded to the first element and the second functional group being displaced.

Claim 2

A method of growing a film that includes a first element and a second element on a functionalized substrate having a first functional group, the method comprising: carrying out a first half-reaction of a binary reaction sequence by exposing the substrate to a first catalyst and a first molecular precursor comprising the first element of the film bonded to a second functional group resulting in the first element of the first precursor being bonded to the substrate and the first functional group being displaced; and carrying out a second half-reaction of the binary reaction sequence by exposing the first precursor to a second catalyst and a second molecular precursor comprising the second element of the film resulting in the second element of the second precursor being bonded to the first element and the second functional group being displaced.

Claim 6

A method for growing a film on a functionalized substrate, the film comprising a primary element, the functionalized substrate comprising a first functional group, the method comprising the following steps: a. carrying out the following interaction: X.sub.1 F.sub.1 +C→X.sub.1 F.sub.1 . . . C wherein X 1 F 1 is the functionalized substrate and F 1 is the first functional group, and C is a catalyst; b. carrying out the following reaction: X.sub.1 F.sub.1 . . . C+F.sub.2 X.sub.2 F.sub.2 →X.sub.1 X.sub.2 F.sub.2 +C+F.sub.1 F.sub.2 wherein F 2 X 2 F 2 is a first molecular precursor with X 2 being the primary element of the film and F 2 being a second functional group; c. carrying out the following interaction: X.sub.1 X.sub.2 F.sub.2 +C→X.sub.1 X.sub.2 F.sub.2 . . . C; and d. carrying out the following reaction: X.sub.1 X.sub.2 F.sub.2 . . . C+F.sub.1 X.sub.1 F.sub.1 →X.sub.1 X.sub.2 X.sub.1 F.sub.1 +C+F.sub.1 F.sub.2 wherein F 1 X 1 F 1 is a second molecular precursor comprising the first functional group F 1 .

Claim 7

A method for growing a film on a functionalized substrate, the film comprising a primary element, the functionalized substrate comprising a first functional group, the method comprising the following steps: a. carrying out the following interaction: X.sub.1 F.sub.1 +C→X.sub.1 F.sub.1 . . . C wherein X 1 F 1 is the functionalized substrate and F 1 is the first functional group, and C is a catalyst; b. carrying out the following reaction: X.sub.1 F.sub.1 . . . C+F.sub.2 X.sub.2 F.sub.2 →X.sub.1 X.sub.2 F.sub.2 +C+F.sub.1 F.sub.2 wherein F 2 X 2 F 2 is a first molecular precursor with X 2 being the primary element of the film and F 2 being a second functional group; c. carrying out the following interaction: X.sub.1 X.sub.2 F.sub.2 +C→X.sub.1 X.sub.2 F.sub.2 . . . C; and d. carrying out the following reaction: X.sub.1 X.sub.2 F.sub.2 . . . C+F.sub.1 X.sub.1 F.sub.1 →X.sub.1 X.sub.2 X.sub.1 F.sub.1 +C+F.sub.1 F.sub.2 wherein F 1 X 1 F 1 is a second molecular precursor comprising the first functional group F 1 .

Claim 20

A method of growing a film on a functionalized substrate, the film comprising a primary element, the functionalized substrate comprising a first functional group, the method comprising the following steps: a. interacting a catalyst selected from the group consisting of Lewis bases and Lewis acids with the first functional group of the functionalized substrate; b. reacting a first molecular precursor comprising the primary element of the film bonded to a second functional group with the first functional group that is activated by the catalyst resulting in a displacement of the catalyst at the first functional group and a bond between the first molecular precursor and the substrate; c. interacting the catalyst with the second functional group and the primary element of the first molecular precursor; and d. reacting a second molecular precursor comprising the first functional group with the activated second functional group resulting in a displacement of the catalyst and resulting in a bond between the elements of the first and second molecular precursors.

Claim 21

A method of growing a film on a functionalized substrate, the film comprising a primary element, the functionalized substrate comprising a first functional group, the method comprising the following steps: a. interacting a catalyst selected from the group consisting of Lewis bases and Lewis acids with the first functional group of the functionalized substrate; b. reacting a first molecular precursor comprising the primary element of the film bonded to a second functional group with the first functional group that is activated by the catalyst resulting in a displacement of the catalyst at the first functional group and a bond between the first molecular precursor and the substrate; c. interacting the catalyst with the second functional group and the primary element of the first molecular precursor; and d. reacting a second molecular precursor comprising the first functional group with the activated second functional group resulting in a displacement of the catalyst and resulting in a bond between the elements of the first and second molecular precursors.

Claim 36

The method for growing a film on a substrate, the film comprising a primary element, the substrate comprising a first functional group, the method comprising the following steps: a. providing the substrate in a vacuum chamber at a temperature of less than 200° C.; b. introducing a catalyst chosen from the group consisting of Lewis bases and Lewis acids and a first molecular precursor comprising the primary element of the film bonded to a second functional group, into the chamber, causing a reaction at the first functional group of the substrate resulting in a reaction between the first molecular precursor and the first functional group of the substrate; c. evacuating the chamber; d. introducing additional catalyst and a second molecular precursor comprising the first functional group into the chamber, causing a reaction between the second functional group and the second molecular precursor resulting in a displacement of the second functional group and a bond between the primary elements of the first and second molecular precursors.

Claim 37

The method for growing a film on a substrate, the film comprising a primary element, the substrate comprising a first functional group, the method comprising the following steps: a. providing the substrate in a vacuum chamber at a temperature of less than 200° C.; b. introducing a catalyst chosen from the group consisting of Lewis bases and Lewis acids and a first molecular precursor comprising the primary element of the film bonded to a second functional group, into the chamber, causing a reaction at the first functional group of the substrate resulting in a reaction between the first molecular precursor and the first functional group of the substrate; c. evacuating the chamber; d. introducing additional catalyst and a second molecular precursor comprising the first functional group into the chamber, causing a reaction between the second functional group and the second molecular precursor resulting in a displacement of the second functional group and a bond between the primary elements of the first and second molecular precursors.

Claim 41

A method for growing a SiO 2 film on a substrate comprising an --OH functional group, the method comprising the following steps: a. providing the substrate in a vacuum chamber at a temperature of less than 200° C.; b. introducing C 5 H 5 N and SiCl 4 into the chamber; c. evacuating the chamber; d. introducing C 5 H 5 N and a reagent selected from the group consisting of water and hydrogen peroxide into the chamber; e. evacuating the chamber; and f. repeating steps b through e.

Claim 42

A method for growing a SiO 2 film on a substrate comprising an --OH functional group, the method comprising the following steps: a. providing the substrate in a vacuum chamber at a temperature of less than 200° C.; b. introducing C 5 H 5 N and SiCl 4 into the chamber; c. evacuating the chamber; d. introducing C 5 H 5 N and a reagent selected from the group consisting of water and hydrogen peroxide into the chamber; e. evacuating the chamber; and f. repeating steps b through e.

Claim 44

A method growing a Si 3 N 4 film on a substrate comprising an --NH 2 functional group, the method comprising the following steps: a. providing the substrate in a vacuum chamber at a temperature of less than 200° C.; b. introducing C 5 H 5 N and SiCl 4 into the chamber; c. evacuating the chamber; d. introducing C 5 H 5 N and ammonia into the chamber; e. evacuating the chamber; f. repeating steps b through e.

Claim 45

A method growing a Si 3 N 4 film on a substrate comprising an --NH 2 functional group, the method comprising the following steps: a. providing the substrate in a vacuum chamber at a temperature of less than 200° C.; b. introducing C 5 H 5 N and SiCl 4 into the chamber; c. evacuating the chamber; d. introducing C 5 H 5 N and ammonia into the chamber; e. evacuating the chamber; f. repeating steps b through e.