Low-Temperature MOCVD of Conducting, Micrometer-Thick, Silver Films

Silver layers up to 3 mu m thick have been deposited at 250-510 deg C using a simple powder flash evaporation MOCVD procedure with a silver pivalate as the volatile precursor. Carbon-free deposits could be obtained at temperatures > 310 deg C. A very high deposition rate of 10 mu m h exp -1 has been achieved. The silver layers were dense and conducting. Properties of silver piva-late, and the influence of deposition temperature on film microstructure, are discussed. The procedure is a cheap and robust route to silver coatings. (Silicon, copper, and glass substrates.)