Combinatorial CVD

这是一个基线资金平台的应用程序，以支持联合Caralt/Parkin研究小组。Parkin和Carmalt在化学气相沉积（CVD）领域进行了广泛的合作。Carmalt专注于化学气相沉积（CVD）中使用的分子前体的合成，而Parkin则专注于这些和其他前体的CVD生长和薄膜的功能表征。在这项研究的过程中，他们发现了大量的新相，特别是金属氮化物，氧化物，硫化物和硒化物材料，这些材料由于动力学原因和前体设计而被证明是常规固态合成无法获得的。他们还确定了如何控制通过CVD生长的微晶的择优生长和取向。这使他们能够生长具有改进功能特性的材料，用于各种应用，从气体传感器，通过超疏水，超亲水表面到热致变色和自清洁薄膜。这项工作的顶峰，特别是对于新相的确定，是他们使用组合CVD合成新材料。组合CVD目前是Carmalt和Parkin联合小组的主要重点，也是他们目前所有EPSRC资金的重要组成部分。这种方法使他们能够例如制备一系列新的混合金属氧化物光催化剂和一系列新的Ti 3 O 4-xN 1相（参见J. Am.美国化学学会，2006，128，12147-55; J. Am.化学会，2007，17，4652-60）。组合CVD工艺具有非凡的潜力。申请人已经示出了如何例如在单个CVD实验中可以制备多达800种不同的相组成。他们还展示了如何使用编程的可移动X-Y台拉曼、电导率和X射线测量以机器人方式探索这种大的相位范围，使得整个相位空间可以在过夜实验中被映射。该技术提供了快速搜索新相的潜力，并探索了一系列系统的组合物，以确定哪种材料组合可获得最佳的功能特性。然后，他们能够调整合成条件并制造所需的相。这项工作主要集中在制造薄膜，但是他们已经通过分层方法表明，他们可以制造克数量的材料。他们希望利用这种独特的技术，并在三个主要领域开发其潜力：* 制备用于水分解和抗菌应用的新型可见光光催化剂-此类材料有可能彻底改变能源生产并减少医院获得性感染。制备用作超灵敏气体传感器的薄膜-我们计划将这些材料用于开发单个呼吸传感器，这可以在医生的手术中常规用于疾病诊断（可以从呼出的气体中诊断30多种疾病-但目前的分析需要运送到实验室，需要一周以上）。光伏薄膜和透明导电薄膜用新型前驱体的合成。例如：发展低压组合式化学气相沉积技术以形成包括铟镓硒及相关材料的改良半导体材料，此子项目的目的是利用组合式LPCVD技术来实现这些重要的三元及更高阶材料的低处理成本、高产量和高质量的薄膜沉积。通过使用具有两个/三个单独的前体气流的低压化学气相沉积来生长渐变组成的薄膜，例如，一个用于硒化铟，一个用于硒化镓，一个用于硒化铜。气体流的扩散允许整个板上的梯度组成（例如CuGaxIn 1-xSe 2）。

This is an application for a Platform for baseline funding to support the joint Carmalt/Parkin research group. Parkin and Carmalt have collaborated extensively in the area of Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD). Carmalt has focussed on the synthesis of molecular precursors for use in CVD, whereas Parkin has concentrated on the CVD growth and functional characterisation of thin films from these and other precursors. In the course of this research they have, unusually for CVD, discovered a wide number of new phases especially metal nitride, oxide, sulfide and selenide materials that had proven due to kinetic reasons and precursor design, unobtainable by conventional solid-state synthesis. They have also determined how to control preferred growth and orientation of crystallites grown by CVD. This has enabled them to grow materials with improved functional properties for a variety of applications from gas-sensors, through ultraphobic, superhydrophilic surfaces to thermochromic and self-cleaning films. The pinnacle of this work, especially for new phase determination has been their use of combinatorial CVD for the synthesis of new materials. Combinatorial CVD is currently the major focus of the Carmalt and Parkin joint group and is a significant component of all of their current EPSRC funding. This methodology has enabled them, for example, to make a range of new mixed metal oxide photocatalysts and a new series of Ti3O4-xN1 phases (see J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2006, 128, 12147-55; J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2007, 17, 4652-60). The combinatorial CVD process has extraordinary potential. The applicants have shown how, for example, in a single CVD experiment up to 800 different phase compositions can be made. They have also shown how this large phase range can be explored in a robotic fashion using programmed movable X-Y stage Raman, electrical conductivity and X-ray measurements such that the whole phase space can be mapped in overnight experiments. This technique offers the potential to rapidly search for new phases and to explore a systematic range of compositions to determine which combination of materials leads to the best functional properties. They are then able to adjust the synthesis conditions and make the desired phase. The work is primarily focussed at making thin films, however they have shown through a delamination methodology that they can make gram quantities of materials. They wish to take advantage of this unique technique and develop its potential in three main areas;* The preparation of new visible light photocatalysts for water splitting and antimicrobial applications- such materials have potential to revolutionalise energy generation and reduce hospital acquired infections.* The preparation of thin films for use as ultra-sensitive gas sensors- we plan to incorporate such materials to develop a single breath sensor, this could be used routinely in a surgery by a doctor for disease diagnosis (over 30 diseases can be diagnosed from exhaled breath- however current analysis requires shipment to a lab and takes over a week).* The synthesis of new precursors for use as photovoltaic thin films and transparent conducting films. For example; develop low pressure combinatorial CVD to form improved semiconductor materials including indium gallium selenides and related materials, the aim of this subproject is to achieve low processing cost, high throughput and high quality film deposition of these important ternary and higher order materials using combinatorial LPCVD. Thin films of graded composition will be grown by using low pressure chemical vapour deposition with two/three separate precursor gas streams, e.g. one for indium selenide, one for gallium selenide and one for copper selenide. Diffusion of the gas streams allows graded compositions (e.g. CuGaxIn1-xSe2) across the whole plate.