We have studied the growth kinetics of TiO2 chemical vapor deposition
using the decomposition of Ti(i-OC3H7)(4) (TTIP, titanium tetra-isopro
poxide) in a hot-wall, axial flow low-pressure chemical vapor depositi
on reactor. Under conditions of high reactant conversion, we obtain po
lycrystalline, fully dense anatase TiO2 films at growth rates up to 0.
2 mu m h(-1). The kinetic results (i.e., measured growth rates and axi
al film-thickness profiles) are analyzed using a two-dimensional react
or transport model and the gas-phase reaction mechanism that we propos
ed previously. This analysis yields a value for the rate constant of t
he gas-phase activation step (k(1) [cm(3) mole(-1) s(-1)] = 4.0 x 10(1
1) exp(-40[kJ mole(-1)]/RT) that is consistent with the value obtained
from our earlier kinetic experiments performed using a cold-wall, imp
inging how reactor. In particular, the present results confirm the see
mingly low value for the activation energy of the proposed gas-phase a
ctivation step obtained in our earlier work.