DEPOSITION OF RARE-EARTH PHOSPHATE, FLUORIDE, AND OXYSULFIDE FILMS BYGAS-PHASE THERMOLYSIS OF BETA-DIKETONATE COMPLEXES

Rare-earth fluoride, phosphate, and oxysulfide films have been obtaine d by gas-phase thermolysis of appropriate rare-earth mixed-ligand and tris-chelate beta-diketonate complexes. Gas-phase thermolysis of Ln(PT FA)(3) . HMPA and Ln(HFA)(3) . HMPA (PTFA is pivaloyltrifluoroacetonat e ligand and HFA is hexafluoroacetylacetonate ligand, HMPA is hexameth ylphosphoric triamide, Ln = Nd, Eu, Er) in a flow of air or N2O yields a finely dispersed phosphate phase. Thermolysis of Ln(HFA)(3) . DME ( Ln = Nd, Eu, Er, DME is 1,2-dimethoxyethane) yields carbon-free fluori de films, whereas in the case of Er(HFA)(3) .2H2O and Er(PTFA)(3) erbi um oxyfluoride and oxide films are deposited. Thermolysis of Nd(DPM)(3 ) (DPM is dipivaloylmethanate ligand) in hydrogen sulfide flow yields the Nd2O2S phase.