Exploratory Synthesis and Reactivity of Volatile Transition Metal Complexes and Use as Molecular Precursors

获得美国国家科学基金会化学部化学合成（SYN）项目的奖金后，伊利诺伊大学香槟分校的Gregory S. Girolami教授将为薄膜的化学气相沉积（CVD）和原子层沉积（ALD）开发新的更好的分子前体。目前的工作将开发新的过渡金属化合物类别，特别是当它们涉及到使用这些分子作为沉积金属二硼化物、金属氮化物和金属氧化物的前体时。这项工作将加强Girolami教授的团队与微电子开发领域领先公司之间已经存在的互动。这项研究将使人们对挥发性过渡金属化合物的化学性质有更深入的了解，并可能找到更好的方法来沉积金属线和绝缘体，而金属线和绝缘体是现代计算机芯片的关键部件。此外，该奖项将有助于教育不同群体的本科生和研究生，并允许吉罗拉米教授继续参与各种服务和外展活动，例如图书馆展示说明科学历史和进步的珍本书籍。提议的活动旨在合成新的挥发性化合物（特别是过渡金属），研究它们的化学反应性，研究它们的挥发性和作为薄膜前体的用途。当前项目的一些具体目标是合成新的晚过渡元素的两坐标配合物，以及配体的化学调谐以系统地改变其配合物的挥发性，还原能力和沉积活化能。同时，研究这些新的CVD前体在化学气相沉积（CVD）和原子层沉积（ALD）中的应用，将与这些技术的专家合作进行。

With this award from the Chemical Synthesis (SYN) Program of the Chemistry Division of NSF, Professor Gregory S. Girolami of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign will develop new and better molecular precursors for the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and atomic layer deposition (ALD) of thin films. The current work will develop new classes of transition metal compounds, especially as they relate to the use of such molecules as precursors for the deposition of metal diborides, metal nitrides, and metal oxides. The work will enhance already existing interactions between Professor Girolami's group and leading companies in microelectronics development. The research will lead to deeper understandings of the chemistry of volatile transition metal compounds, and could lead to better ways to deposit the wires and insulators that are key components of modern-day computer chips. In addition, the award will contribute to the education of a diverse group of undergraduate and graduate students, and allow Professor Girolami to maintain his involvement in various services and outreach activities, such as library exhibits of rare books illustrating the history and advancement of science. The proposed activity is aimed toward the synthesis of new volatile compounds (especially of the transition metals), investigations of their chemical reactivities, and studies of their volatilities and utilities as thin film precursors. Some of the specific objectives of the current project are synthesis of new two-coordinate complexes of the late transition elements, and the chemical tuning of ligands to change the volatility, reducing power, and deposition activation energies of their complexes in a systematic way. In parallel, investigations of the use of these new CVD precursors for the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and atomic layer deposition (ALD) will be carried out collaboratively with experts in these techniques.