Charged Particle-Induced Surface Reactions of Organometallic Complexes as a Guide to Precursor Design for Electron- and Ion-Induced Deposition of Nanostructures

Real-Time Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory Study of Inelastic Electron Scattering: Energy Transfer in Tetracarbonyl Nickel Molecule Reactions

Inelastic scattering between electron wave packets and precursor organometallic molecules is key to understanding electron-induced excitation in gas-phase and surface chemical reactions. This study focuses on the scattering process and subsequent intramolecular dissociation of electronically excited molecules. Using Ni(CO)4, the precursor in electron-enhanced atomic layer deposition for nickel thin film growth, real-time time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) models the energy transfer and internal excitation of the 0-700 eV electron wave packet colliding with Ni(CO)4. The results show that energy transfer depends on the wave packet size, collision direction, parameters, and electron energy. Energy transfer is enhanced in the presence of water molecules. Additionally, the inelastic scattering cross section for CH4 molecules is calculated and compared with database values to assess the accuracy and determine the scaling factor. This study highlights TDDFT's potential for modeling electron-induced chemical reactions and provides the foundation for future research on electronic excitation in such processes.

Ion-induced surface reactions and deposition from Pt(CO)2Cl2 and Pt(CO)2Br2

Ion beam-induced deposition (IBID) using Pt(CO)2Cl2 and Pt(CO)2Br2 as precursors has been studied with ultrahigh-vacuum (UHV) surface science techniques to provide insights into the elementary reaction steps involved in deposition, complemented by analysis of deposits formed under steady-state conditions. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and mass spectrometry data from monolayer thick films of Pt(CO)2Cl2 and Pt(CO)2Br2 exposed to 3 keV Ar+, He+, and H2 + ions indicate that deposition is initiated by the desorption of both CO ligands, a process ascribed to momentum transfer from the incident ion to adsorbed precursor molecules. This precursor decomposition step is accompanied by a decrease in the oxidation state of the Pt(II) atoms and, in IBID, represents the elementary reaction step that converts the molecular precursor into an involatile PtX2 species. Upon further ion irradiation these PtCl2 or PtBr2 species experience ion-induced sputtering. The difference between halogen and Pt sputter rates leads to a critical ion dose at which only Pt remains in the film. A comparison of the different ion/precursor combinations studied revealed that this sequence of elementary reaction steps is invariant, although the rates of CO desorption and subsequent physical sputtering were greatest for the heaviest (Ar+) ions. The ability of IBID to produce pure Pt films was confirmed by AES and XPS analysis of thin film deposits created by Ar+/Pt(CO)2Cl2, demonstrating the ability of data acquired from fundamental UHV surface science studies to provide insights that can be used to better understand the interactions between ions and precursors during IBID from inorganic precursors.

Direct electron beam writing of silver using a β-diketonate precursor: first insights

Direct electron beam writing is a powerful tool for fabricating complex nanostructures in a single step. The electron beam locally cleaves the molecules of an adsorbed gaseous precursor to form a deposit, similar to 3D printing but without the need for a resist or development step. Here, we employ for the first time a silver β-diketonate precursor for focused electron beam-induced deposition (FEBID). The used compound (hfac)AgPMe3 operates at an evaporation temperature of 70-80 °C and is compatible with commercially available gas injection systems used in any standard scanning electron microscope. Growth of smooth 3D geometries could be demonstrated for tightly focused electron beams, albeit with low silver content in the deposit volume. The electron beam-induced deposition proved sensitive to the irradiation conditions, leading to varying compositions of the deposit and internal inhomogeneities such as the formation of a layered structure consisting of a pure silver layer at the interface to the substrate covered by a deposit layer with low silver content. Imaging after the deposition process revealed morphological changes such as the growth of silver particles on the surface. While these effects complicate the application for 3D printing, the unique deposit structure with a thin, compact silver film beneath the deposit body is interesting from a fundamental point of view and may offer additional opportunities for applications.

Electron-induced deposition using Fe(CO)4MA and Fe(CO)5 - effect of MA ligand and process conditions

The electron-induced decomposition of Fe(CO)4MA (MA = methyl acrylate), which is a potential new precursor for focused electron beam-induced deposition (FEBID), was investigated by surface science experiments under UHV conditions. Auger electron spectroscopy was used to monitor deposit formation. The comparison between Fe(CO)4MA and Fe(CO)5 revealed the effect of the modified ligand architecture on the deposit formation in electron irradiation experiments that mimic FEBID and cryo-FEBID processes. Electron-stimulated desorption and post-irradiation thermal desorption spectrometry were used to obtain insight into the fate of the ligands upon electron irradiation. As a key finding, the deposits obtained from Fe(CO)4MA and Fe(CO)5 were surprisingly similar, and the relative amount of carbon in deposits prepared from Fe(CO)4MA was considerably less than the amount of carbon in the MA ligand. This demonstrates that electron irradiation efficiently cleaves the neutral MA ligand from the precursor. In addition to deposit formation by electron irradiation, the thermal decomposition of Fe(CO)4MA and Fe(CO)5 on an Fe seed layer prepared by EBID was compared. While Fe(CO)5 sustains autocatalytic growth of the deposit, the MA ligand hinders the thermal decomposition in the case of Fe(CO)4MA. The heteroleptic precursor Fe(CO)4MA, thus, offers the possibility to suppress contributions of thermal reactions, which can compromise control over the deposit shape and size in FEBID processes.

Gas-Phase Synthesis of Iron Silicide Nanostructures Using a Single-Source Precursor: Comparing Direct-Write Processing and Thermal Conversion

The investigation of precursor classes for the fabrication of nanostructures is of specific interest for maskless fabrication and direct nanoprinting. In this study, the differences in material composition depending on the employed process are illustrated for focused-ion-beam- and focused-electron-beam-induced deposition (FIBID/FEBID) and compared to the thermal decomposition in chemical vapor deposition (CVD). This article reports on specific differences in the deposit composition and microstructure when the (H3Si)2Fe(CO)4 precursor is converted into an inorganic material. Maximum metal/metalloid contents of up to 90 at. % are obtained in FIBID deposits and higher than 90 at. % in CVD films, while FEBID with the same precursor provides material containing less than 45 at. % total metal/metalloid content. Moreover, the Fe:Si ratio is retained well in FEBID and CVD processes, but FIBID using Ga+ ions liberates more than 50% of the initial Si provided by the precursor. This suggests that precursors for FIBID processes targeting binary materials should include multiple bonding such as bridging positions for nonmetals. In addition, an in situ method for investigations of supporting thermal effects of precursor fragmentation during the direct-writing processes is presented, and the applicability of the precursor for nanoscale 3D FEBID writing is demonstrated.