Thermally Stable Indium Precursor for Low-Carbon ALD Thin Films
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing indium compounds used as thin-film forming raw materials in ALD methods lack thermal stability, resulting in unsatisfactory quality of the obtained thin-films.
Innovation Solution
An indium compound with a specific structure, represented by general formula (I), is developed, which exhibits excellent thermal stability and is used in a CVD or ALD method to produce high-quality thin-films.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional indium compounds are used as precursors in ALD or CVD methods, then the thin-film formation process can be carried out, but the thermal stability is poor resulting in unsatisfactory thin-film quality with high residual carbon content
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical structure parameters of the indium compound precursor by introducing specific organic ligands with controlled carbon chain lengths and functional groups. This structural modification improves thermal stability while maintaining volatility, resolving the contradiction between precursor stability and film quality. The controlled parameter changes in molecular structure enable the precursor to withstand higher temperatures without decomposing, thereby reducing residual carbon in the thin-film.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite molecular structures combining indium center with specially designed organic ligands (such as amine, amide, or amino acid-based ligands). This composite approach creates a precursor that integrates both thermal stability from the robust ligand framework and reactivity needed for ALD/CVD processes, thereby producing high-quality thin-films with low carbon content while maintaining precursor stability.
2Manufacturing precision
If a precursor with high thermal stability is used, then thin-film quality improves with low residual carbon, but the precursor structure becomes more complex making synthesis and handling more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by designing ligands with specific functional groups at particular positions around the indium center. Rather than uniformly complicating the entire molecule, the design focuses thermal stability enhancement at critical sites (such as coordinating groups near the metal center) while keeping other portions simple. This localized approach achieves high film quality without excessive overall molecular complexity, facilitating manageable synthesis and handling.
3Ease of manufacture
If the precursor structure is simplified for ease of manufacture, then synthesis becomes easier, but thermal stability decreases resulting in poor thin-film quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the precursor molecule into distinct functional modules: a stable indium coordination core and separable ligand components. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each module's properties. The core provides thermal stability, while ligands can be selected for ease of synthesis. This modular approach enables manufacturing ease through standardized ligand synthesis while maintaining overall precursor thermal stability for high-quality thin-film production.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The indium compound enables the formation of high-quality thin-films with a low residual carbon content, enhancing the thermal stability and quality of the films produced.
Implementation Method 1
a raw material gas obtained by vaporizing the thin-film forming raw material
Implementation Method 2
forming a thin-film containing an indium atom on a surface of a substrate through use of a raw material gas obtained by vaporizing the thin-film forming raw material
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an indium compound, which is represented by the following general formula (1):where R1 and R2 each independently represent, for example, an unsubstituted alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, R3 and R4 each independently represent, for example, a hydrogen atom or an unsubstituted alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, and A represents a group represented by the following general formula (L-1) or (L-2):where R11, R12, R13, R14, R21 and R22 each independently represent, for example, a hydrogen atom or an unsubstituted alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, and represents a bonding position with C in the general formula (1).