Work

Room Temperature Synthesis of Tellurium by Solution Atomic Layer Deposition

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide This study demonstrates the deposition of tellurium (Te) on silicon/silicon nitride substrates using solution atomic layer deposition (sALD) at ambient temperature. The process employs tellurium tetrachloride (TeCl 4 ) and bis(triethylsilyl)-telluride ((TES) 2 Te) as precursors, with toluene as the solvent. Growth parameters were optimized through systematic variation of the pulse and purge times. Morphological characterization via scanning and transmission electron microscopy revealed needle-like crystallites, while X-ray diffractometry confirmed the crystalline nature of the deposited Te. Increasing the number of deposition cycles resulted in larger Te crystallites and enhanced substrate surface coverage. A thin amorphous carbon shell surrounding the crystallites and carbon inclusions was observed, likely originating from the organic solvent. X-ray photoemission spectroscopy analysis indicated high-purity Te films with minimal surface oxidation. The small chlorine signal suggested a near-complete precursor reaction and the efficient purging of byproducts. This novel sALD approach presents a promising method for depositing Te on various surfaces under mild conditions.

Source: Crystal Growth & Design

DOI: 10.1021/acs.cgd.4c00987