Electron stimulated decomposition of adsorbed hexafluoroacetylacetonate Cu(I) vinyltrimethylsilane, Cu(I)(hfac)(vtms)

The effect of a low energy electron beam on the decomposition of hexafluoro acetylacetonate Cu(I) vinyltrimethylsilane (Cu(I) precursor) on the Si(111) -(7 x 7) surface at room temperature has been studied using x-ray photoelec tron spectroscopy and Auger electron spectroscopy. It was found that electr on bombardment causes the decomposition of the Cu(I) precursor and an elect ron energy threshold for decomposition was found to be 4 +/- 0.5 eV. This r esult demonstrates that the decomposition of the Cu(I) precursor in the thr eshold region occurs through a dissociative electron attachment mechanism. Elemental composition studies of the grown films show that they are contami nated with carbon, and that the copper fraction is increased in the film co mpared to the precursor composition. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics . [S0021-8979(99)02106-4].