Metal amides: versatile dopant precursors for electronic materials

The emerging dominance of wireless communication, micro-electronic and combination (opto-electronic) technologies in current society is placing demands on materials scientists to improve existing, or invent new, methods for the preparation of high purity, low cost, electrically dense and environmentally friendly compositions. In achieving many of these demands, researchers rely on chemical vapour deposition to meet the strict requirements imposed by the ultimate application of the materials in an electronic device. As one component of chemical vapour processing of electronic materials, scientists have explored the ability to control the final lattice (or sub-lattice) location of atoms by a combination of processing parameters and precursor design. This report examines the specific case of compounds having a metal – nitrogen interaction as potential sources for nitrogen, for metal, or for both elements in the final film.