Reversible Tuning of Surface Chemical Reactivity in Thin Solid Films

在大分子、超分子和纳米化学项目的支持下，特拉华大学化学系的Teplyakov教授及其同事将建立一种新的策略来控制在固体薄膜沉积过程中形成的表面和界面的化学和物理性质。由于固体薄膜在各种各样的应用（从涂层技术到电路制造）中的重要性，这种方法将为进一步改进这些工艺提供一个平台。在沉积过程中和沉积后，促进和抑制某些表面反应将产生可控的表面元素组成，而这种组成与表面功能化将提供可调的化学反应，这在膜生产的不同阶段是重要的。这种基本的、分子水平的方法的固有优势是，从研究中获得的见解可以预测到目前尚未完全开发的其他应用，例如分子电子学和有机/无机混合器件。基本前提是基于理解为薄膜生长而预处理的表面的化学功能的影响，以及所产生的薄膜表面对进一步所需化学过程的反应性的影响。与传统表面功能化方法的主要概念区别在于理解表面对这些官能团反应性的影响。大部分的工作将集中在半导体表面和薄膜用于微电子，但这项研究的结果将扩展到其他系统的操作。各个层次的学生都将参与这项工作，Teplyakov教授将为对学术事业感兴趣的研究生和博士后建立一个全校范围的指导计划。随着电子器件尺寸的不断缩小，必须开发出新的、更高效的材料来作为金属导体和半导体之间的绝缘屏障。该项目将研究由钛、碳化钽和氮化化合物组成的极薄层的形成和生长的基本机制。这些材料为集成电路中的屏障提供了许多优势，该研究将有助于下一代微电子器件的发展。

With the support from the Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry program, Professor Teplyakov and coworkers in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Delaware will establish a novel strategy to control chemical and physical properties of surfaces and interfaces formed during deposition of thin solid films. Due to the importance of thin solid films in a wide variety of applications (ranging from coating technology to circuit fabrication), this approach will provide a platform for further improvement of such processes. Promoting and suppressing certain surface reactions during and after the deposition will yield a controllable surface elemental composition, while this composition together with surface functionalization will provide a tunable chemical response, which is important at different stages of film production. An inherent advantage of this fundamental, molecular-level approach is that the insight obtained from the investigation can be projected towards other applications not fully developed at present, such as molecular electronics and hybrid organic/inorganic devices. The fundamental premise is based on understanding the effects of the chemical functionality of surfaces pretreated for film growth and of the surfaces of films produced on the reactivity with respect to further desired chemical process. The major conceptual difference from traditional approaches to surface functionalization is in understanding the effects of the surface on the reactivity of these functional groups. Most of the work will focus on the semiconductor surfaces and films used in microelectronics but the findings of this research will be extended towards manipulation of other systems. Students at all levels will be involved in the effort, and Professor Teplyakov will establish a university wide mentoring program for graduate and postdoctoral students interested in academic careers.With the continued reduction in the size of our electronic devices, new and more efficient materials must be developed to serve as insulating barriers between metallic conductors and semiconductors. This project will examine the fundamental mechanisms of the formation and growth of very thin layers made of titanium and tantalum carbide and nitride compounds. These materials offer many advantages for barriers in integrated circuits, and this study will help in the development of next generation microelectronic devices.