An N-Heterocyclic Carbene Based Silver Precursor for Plasma-Enhanced Spatial Atomic Layer Deposition of Silver Thin Films at Atmospheric Pressure

摘要

A new N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-based silver amide compound, 1,3-di-tert-butyl-imidazolin-2-ylidene silver(I) 1,1,1-trimethyl-N-(trimethylsilyl)silanaminide [(NHC)Ag-(hmds)] was synthesized and analyzed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, H-1 and (CNMR)-C-13 spectroscopy, as well as EI mass spectrometry, and subsequently evaluated for its thermal characteristics. This new halogen- and phosphine-free Ag atomic layer deposition (ALD) precursor was tested successfully for silver thin film growth in atmospheric pressure plasma enhanced spatial (APP-ALD). High-purity conductive Ag thin films with a low sheet resistance of 0.9 Omega/sq (resistivity: 10(-5) Omega cm) were deposited at 100 degrees C and characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, optical transmittance, and Rutherford back-scattering techniques. The carbene-based Ag precursor and the new APP-ALD process are significant developments in the field of precursor chemistry as well as metal ALD processing.