Gruyère or Emmental ?

The use of various Ti precursors for the growth of TiO2 thin films by Atomic layer deposition (ALD) leads to layers exhibiting different porosities and properties.

The work performed at the NM department of CINaM in collaboration with IM2NP, Schrödinger Inc. and Encapsulix SAS shows that the reaction mechanisms depends on the pulsed precursor: TTIP* or TDMAT** during the TiO2 growth. In one case the layer is porous and unstable while in the second case a pinhole-free film covers perfectly the surface. Such discrepancy is experimentally shown and explained by the simulation. In addition, it has a huge impact on the electrical properties of the films.

More details : Dufond et al. Chem. Mater. 32, 1393 (2020)

https://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemmater.9b03621

* Titanium tetraisopropoxide

** Tetrakisdmimethylaminotitanium