THERMAL-DECOMPOSITION OF V(NET(2))(4) IN AN MOCVD REACTOR - A LOW-TEMPERATURE ROUTE TO VANADIUM CARBONITRIDE COATINGS

Carbon-rich vanadium carbonitride films have been grown by MOCVD at lo w temperature using the tetrakis (diethylamido) vanadium complex V(NEt (2))(4) as a single-source precursor. The main volatile byproducts for med during its thermal decomposition were identified by NMR and on-lin e mass spectrometric analyses. Under the growth conditions, an equimol ecular ratio of HNEt(2) and EtN=CHMe was found in addition to CH3CN an d C2H4. From these results, an elimination mechanism of the NEt(2) lig ands is proposed. It accounts for their high lability and therefore th e low nitrogen content of the films. The possible origin of the incorp oration of the metalloid elements is also discussed.