The CVD of silver sulfide and silver thin films from a homoleptic crystalline single-source precursor

The complex [Ag3{(SPiPr2)6N3}]2 has been synthesised by the reaction of sodium dithioimidodiphosphinate salt with silver nitrate in anhydrous methanol. Single crystal X-ray diffraction studys showed that the unit cell contains two independent trimeric molecules [Ag{(SPiPr2)2N}]3 and [Ag{(SPiPr2)2N}]3·CHCl3; the former adopting a chair conformation and the later a half-chair conformation. Aerosol assisted chemical vapour deposition (AACVD) from this precursor gave a mixture of silver sulfide and silver thin films or pure silver films depending upon the deposition temperature. As-deposited films were characterised by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) and ultra-violet/visible (UV/Vis) spectroscopy.