Thin films by metal-organic precursor plasma spray

Journal Article · Wed Jul 15 00:00:00 EDT 2009 · Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. A, International Journal Devoted to Vacuum, Surfaces, and Films

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1116/1.3148826· OSTI ID:22053517

Schulz, Douglas L; Sailer, Robert A; Payne, Scott; Leach, James; Molz, Ronald J ^[1]

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1. North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota 58108-6050 (United States)

While most plasma spray routes to coatings utilize solids as the precursor feedstock, metal-organic precursor plasma spray (MOPPS) is an area that the authors have investigated recently as a novel route to thin film materials. Very thin films are possible via MOPPS and the technology offers the possibility of forming graded structures by metering the liquid feed. The current work employs metal-organic compounds that are liquids at standard temperature-pressure conditions. In addition, these complexes contain chemical functionality that allows straightforward thermolytic transformation to targeted phases of interest. Toward that end, aluminum 3,5-heptanedionate (Al(hd){sub 3}), triethylsilane (HSi(C{sub 2}H{sub 5}){sub 3} or HSiEt{sub 3}), and titanium tetrakisdiethylamide (Ti(N(C{sub 2}H{sub 5}){sub 2}){sub 4} or Ti(NEt{sub 2}){sub 4}) were employed as precursors to aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, and titanium nitride, respectively. In all instances, the liquids contain metal-heteroatom bonds envisioned to provide atomic concentrations of the appropriate reagents at the film growth surface, thus promoting phase formation (e.g., Si-C bond in triethylsilane, Ti-N bond in titanium amide, etc.). Films were deposited using a Sulzer Metco TriplexPro-200 plasma spray system under various experimental conditions using design of experiment principles. Film compositions were analyzed by glazing incidence x-ray diffraction and elemental determination by x-ray spectroscopy. MOPPS films from HSiEt{sub 3} showed the formation of SiC phase but Al(hd){sub 3}-derived films were amorphous. The Ti(NEt{sub 2}){sub 4} precursor gave MOPPS films that appear to consist of nanosized splats of TiOCN with spheres of TiO{sub 2} anatase. While all films in this study suffered from poor adhesion, it is anticipated that the use of heated substrates will aid in the formation of dense, adherent films.

• OSTI ID: 22053517
• Journal Information: Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. A, International Journal Devoted to Vacuum, Surfaces, and Films, Vol. 27, Issue 4; Other Information: (c) 2009 American Vacuum Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1553-1813
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ADHESION
ALUMINIUM OXIDES
COATINGS
CRYSTAL GROWTH
DEPOSITION
GLAZING MATERIALS
NANOSTRUCTURES
ORGANOMETALLIC COMPOUNDS
PLASMA
SILICON CARBIDES
SUBSTRATES
THIN FILMS
TITANIUM OXIDES
X-RAY DIFFRACTION
X-RAY SPECTRA
X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY