Exploring Precursor Chemistry and Materials Synthesis Using Combinatorial CVD

Wayne Gladfelter of the University of Minnesota is supported by the Division of Chemistry for his research exploring precursor chemistry and materials synthesis by a combinatorial-type CVD approach. Prof. Gladfelter will investigate new thin-film oxide materials prepared by chemical vapor deposition that are of potential interest as higher dielectric constant materials for microelectronics applications. He will also prepare and study new precursor compounds. This research will develop CVD methods to produce compositional spreads of metal oxide films by balancing the fluid dynamic behavior of the precursor gases with the deposition kinetics. Combinatorial CVD will be used to produce films of amorphous materials such as HfO2(SiO2)n using several different precursors, allowing direct comparisons of the impact of deposition chemistry on metal-oxygen stoichiometry, crystallographic phase and film microstructure.

New higher dielectric constant materials are of significant interest for microelectronics applications. Field effect transistors are critical components in logic and memory circuits. Successful replacement of SiO2 as the gate dielectric in field effect transistors will allow the trend in shrinking device size to continue for several years into the future. Graduate students, undergraduate students and postdocs will receive excellent training and research experiences in a forefront inorganic materials chemistry program.