Chemical thin films

C2.18.2.4 FUNDAMENTAL ISSUES IN CHEMICAL DEPOSITION OF THIN FILMS... 

Jensen K F and Kern W 1991 Thermal chemical vapor deposition Thin Film Processes II ed J L Vossen and W Kern (San Diego, CA Academic) chapter III-1, pp 283-368... 

Pablo J J, M Laso, and U W Suter 1992. Estimation of the Chemical Potential of Chain Molecules by Simulation. Journal of Chemical Physics 96 6157-6162. jkstra M. 1997. Confined Thin Films of Linear and Branched Alkanes. Journal of Chemical Physics 107 3277-3288. 

Not all synthetic polymers are used as fibers Mylar for example is chemically the same as Dacron but IS prepared in the form of a thin film instead of a fiber Lexan is a polyester which because of its impact resistance is used as a shatterproof substitute for glass It IS a polycarbonate having the structure shown... 

Polythiophene can be synthesized by electrochemical polymerization or chemical oxidation of the monomer. A large number of substituted polythiophenes have been prepared, with the properties of the polymer depending on the nature of the substituent group. Oligomers of polythiophene such as (a-sexithienyl thiophene) can be prepared by oxidative linking of smaller thiophene units (33). These oligomers can be sublimed in vacuum to create polymer thin films for use in organic-based transistors. 

Solvent Resistance. At temperatures below the melting of the crystallites, the parylenes resist all attempts to dissolve them. Although the solvents permeate the continuous amorphous phase, they are virtually excluded from the crystalline domains. Consequently, when a parylene film is exposed to a solvent a slight swelling is observed as the solvent invades the amorphous phase. In the thin films commonly encountered, equilibrium is reached fairly quickly, within minutes to hours. The change in thickness is conveniently and precisely measured by an interference technique. As indicated in Table 6, the best solvents, specifically those chemically most like the polymer (eg, aromatics such as xylene), cause a swelling of no more than 3%. 

Fluorination of tungsten and rhenium produces tungsten hexafluoride, WF, and rhenium hexafluoride [10049-17-9J, ReF, respectively. These volatile metal fluorides are used in the chemical vapor deposition industry to produce metal coatings and intricately shaped components (see Thin films,... 

Germanium difluoride can be prepared by reduction (2,4) of GeF by metallic germanium, by reaction (1) of stoichiometric amounts of Ge and HF in a sealed vessel at 225°C, by Ge powder and HgF2 (5), and by GeS and PbF2 (6). Gep2 has been used in plasma chemical vapor deposition of amorphous film (see Plasma TECHNOLOGY Thin films) (7). 

Molybdenum hexafluoride is used in the manufacture of thin films (qv) for large-scale integrated circuits (qv) commonly known as LSIC systems (3,4), in the manufacture of metallised ceramics (see MetaL-MATRIX COMPOSITES) (5), and chemical vapor deposition of molybdenum and molybdenum—tungsten alloys (see Molybdenumand molybdenum alloys) (6,7). The latter process involves the reduction of gaseous metal fluorides by hydrogen at elevated temperatures to produce metals or their alloys such as molybdenum—tungsten, molybdenum—tungsten—rhenium, or molybdenum—rhenium alloys. 

PPQs possess a stepladder stmcture that combines good thermal stabiUty, electrical insulation, and chemical resistance with good processing characteristics (81). These properties allow unique appHcations in the aerospace and electronics industries (82,83). PPQ can be made conductive by the use of an electrochemical oxidation method (84). The conductivities of these films vary from 10 to 10 S/cm depending on the dopant anions, thus finding appHcations in electronics industry. Similarly, some thermally stable PQs with low dielectric constants have been produced for microelectronic appHcations (85). Thin films of PQs have been used in nonlinear optical appHcations (86,87). 

Coercivity of Thin-Film Media. The coercivity ia a magnetic material is an important parameter for appHcations but it is difficult to understand its physical background. It can be varied from nearly zero to more than 2000 kA/m ia a variety of materials. For thin-film recording media, values of more than 250 kA / m have been reported. First of all the coercivity is an extrinsic parameter and is strongly iafluenced by the microstmctural properties of the layer such as crystal size and shape, composition, and texture. These properties are directly related to the preparation conditions. Material choice and chemical inborn ogeneties are responsible for the Af of a material and this is also an influencing parameter of the final In crystalline material, the crystalline anisotropy field plays an important role. It is difficult to discriminate between all these parameters and to understand the coercivity origin ia the different thin-film materials ia detail. 

Silicon Epitaxy. A critical step ia IC fabricatioa is the epitaxial depositioa of sdicoa oa an iategrated circuit. Epitaxy is defined as a process whereby a thin crystalline film is grown on a crystalline substrate. Silicon epitaxy is used ia bipolar ICs to create a high resistivity layer oa a low resistivity substrate. Most epitaxial depositioas are doae either by chemical vapor depositioa (CVD) or by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) (see Thin films). CVD is the mainstream process. 

Deposition of Thin Films. Laser photochemical deposition has been extensively studied, especially with respect to fabrication of microelectronic stmctures (see Integrated circuits). This procedure could be used in integrated circuit fabrication for the direct generation of patterns. Laser-aided chemical vapor deposition, which can be used to deposit layers of semiconductors, metals, and insulators, could define the circuit features. The deposits can have dimensions in the micrometer regime and they can be produced in specific patterns. Laser chemical vapor deposition can use either of two approaches. 

Epitaxial crystal growth methods such as molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) have advanced to the point that active regions of essentially arbitrary thicknesses can be prepared (see Thin films, film deposition techniques). Most semiconductors used for lasers are cubic crystals where the lattice constant, the dimension of the cube, is equal to two atomic plane distances. When the thickness of this layer is reduced to dimensions on the order of 0.01 )J.m, between 20 and 30 atomic plane distances, quantum mechanics is needed for an accurate description of the confined carrier energies (11). Such layers are called quantum wells and the lasers containing such layers in their active regions are known as quantum well lasers (12). 

PTFE is outstanding in this group. In thin films it provides the lowest coefficient of friction (0.03—0.1) of any polymer, is effective from —200 to 250°C, and is generally unreactive chemically. The low friction is attributed to the smooth molecular profile of PTFE chains which allows easy sliding (57). Typical apphcations include chemical and food processing equipment, electrical components, and as a component to provide improved friction and wear in other resin systems. 

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