On the use of Fe(dpm)3 as precursor for the thermal-CVD growth of hematite nanostructures

The iron(III) beta-diketonate Fe(dpm)3 (dpm = 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl- 3,5-heptanedionate) is investigated as precursor for the thermally- assisted chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of hematite (alpha-Fe2O3) nanostructures. To this aim, the compound gas-phase reactivity is first elucidated by in-situ infrared spectroscopy both under N2 and N2+O2 atmospheres. Subsequently, Fe(dpm)3 is tested in CVDexperiments on various substrates, as a function of the growth temperature, to evaluate the precursor applicability in the preparation of diversified hematite-based materials, potentially addressing various technological end-uses. In this study, relevant results concerning the gas-phase behavior of Fe(dpm)3 and the compositional, structural, morphological, and optical properties of the resulting alpha-Fe2O3 deposits are presented and critically discussed.