Study of the thermal properties of Pr(III) precursors and their implementation in the MOCVD growth of praseodymium oxide films

A praseodymium adduct, Pr(hfa)(3) . diglyme [(H-hfa = 1,1,1,5,5,5-hexafluoro-2,4-pentandione, diglyme = CH3O(CH2CH2O)(2)CH3)] has been synthesized. It has been applied as a Pr source for the metallorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) of praseodymium containing films on silicon substrate and compared with Pr(tmhd)(3) [(H-tmhd = 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptandione)] precursor. Physical and thermal properties of both Pr(hfa)(3) . diglyme and Pr(tmhd)(3) precursors have been fully analyzed and their efficacy as MOCVD precursors for the growth of praseodymium oxide films have been fully tested. Depending on the oxygen partial pressure (p(O2)), different praseodymium oxide phases have been obtained.