Considerations of the production of C₆₀ thin films by PECVD, combustion, or pyrolysis

A short review of C 60 production methods is first presented with an emphasis on thin films for electronic applications. These films are currently made by first producing the fullerene, purifying it and then depositing by different evaporation techniques. Results of an unsuccessful attempt to produce these films by PECVD from organic precursors (cyclopentadiene and naphthalene) are reported. An assessment of the available thermodynamic data of gaseous and solid C 60 is then presented. Gibbs free energy minimization for the gaseous system C‐H‐O‐Ar + He including large polyaromatic hydrocarbons and C 60 helps to determine under which conditions C 60 molecules are stable. Finally, in the light of these calculations, the possibility of the direct production of C 60 films by a continuous process such as combustion or pyrolysis is discussed.