CVD of MgO Thin Films from Bis(methylcyclopentadienyl) magnesium

Thin films of MgO are grown by CVD, with a high growth rate, on Si(001) and quartz substrates in the temperature range 400–550 °C, using bis(methylcyclopentadienyl)magnesium [Mg(CH3-C5H4)2] as the precursor. The films obtained are investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and optical absorption, in order to investigate the interrelations between film properties and processing conditions. Cubic phase MgO (periclase) films, characterized by a low carbon contamination and a granular surface morphology, are obtained.