MOCVD of thin ruthenium oxide films: Properties and growth kinetics

Conducting thin films of RuO2 were grown on glass by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) at substrate temperatures down to 623 K. Tris-tri fluoroacetylacetonate-rutheniumIII (Ru(tfa)(3)) served as the precursor. Fi lm properties, such as resistivity, were improved by the addition of water to the reaction gas. The films were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and four-probe resistivity measurements. The growth mechanism was studied by in situ ellipsometry, and a model reaction mechanism is proposed. The el ectrochemical characterization by cyclic voltammetry revealed very small ov erpotentials for both hydrogen and oxygen evolution. Thee properties of the films, in particular the resistivity (rho as low as 72 mu Omega cm), are c omparable to CVD and sputtered films deposited at much higher temperatures.