Growth of Neodymium Oxide This Films by Liquid Injection MOCVD Using a New Neodymium Alkoxide Precursor

Thin films of gadolinium oxide, GdOx, have been deposited by liquid injection MOCVD using the volatile gadolinium alkoxide precursor, [Gd(mmp)3] (mmp = 1‐methoxy‐2‐methyl‐2‐propanolate, OCMe2CH2OMe). Carbon‐free GdOx films were grown over a wide range of substrate temperatures (300–600 °C) on both Si(100) and GaAs(100) substrates. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) data indicated that GdOx films grown on Si(100) were amorphous at low deposition temperatures, and crystalline with a C‐type structure at growth temperatures of 450 °C and above. GdOx films grown on GaAs at 450 °C showed a strong preferred orientation, dominated by the (222) reflection. Thin films of neodymium oxide are deposited by liquid injection MOCVD on Si(100) and GaAs(100) substrates using the new neodymium alkoxide precursor [Nd(mmp)3] and tetraglyme in toluene (mmp= 1‐methoxy‐2‐methyl‐2‐propanolate). The films are grown over a wide range of substrate temperatures and are found to be of high purity. The deposits exhibit the cubic C‐type Nd2O3 phase or were amorphous depending on the deposition temperature. It is noteworthy that NdOx films deposited on both substrates in the absence of oxygen are carbon free, and AES analysis suggests the absence of Nd(OH)3 in the deposit.