Atomic Layer Deposition of Zinc Glutarate Thin Films

Deposition of zinc glutarate thin films by atomic layer deposition is studied at 200–250 °C using zinc acetate and glutaric acid as the precursors. The films are characterized by UV–vis spectrophotometry, X‐ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and time‐of‐flight elastic recoil detection analysis. According to X‐ray diffraction, the films deposited at 200 °C are crystalline with a crystal structure matching to zinc glutarate. The elastic recoil detection analysis shows that the composition of the films is a close match to zinc glutarate. Catalytic activity of the films is demonstrated using the copolymerization reaction of propylene oxide and CO2. Atomic layer deposition (ALD) of zinc glutarate (ZnGA) thin films is investigated. A well‐controlled ALD process for ZnGA is presented and the films are characterized by various techniques including X‐ray diffraction, time‐of‐flight elastic recoil detection analysis, infrared spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy. The films are shown to be catalytically active in the copolymerization reaction of propylene oxide and CO2.