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Hilpert F, Liao PC, Franz E, Koch VM, Fromm L, Topraksal E, Görling A, Smith ASA, Barr MKS, Bachmann J, Brummel O, Libuda J. Mechanistic Insight into Solution-Based Atomic Layer Deposition of CuSCN Provided by In Situ and Ex Situ Methods. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2023; 15:19536-19544. [PMID: 37017296 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c16943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Solution-based atomic layer deposition (sALD) processes enable the preparation of thin films on nanostructured surfaces while controlling the film thickness down to a monolayer and preserving the homogeneity of the film. In sALD, a similar operation principle as in gas-phase ALD is used, however, with a broader range of accessible materials and without requiring expensive vacuum equipment. In this work, a sALD process was developed to prepare CuSCN on a Si substrate using the precursors CuOAc and LiSCN. The film growth was studied by ex situ atomic force microscopy (AFM), analyzed by a neural network (NN) approach, ellipsometry, and a newly developed in situ infrared (IR) spectroscopy experiment in combination with density functional theory (DFT). In the self-limiting sALD process, CuSCN grows on top of an initially formed two-dimensional (2D) layer as three-dimensional spherical nanoparticles with an average size of ∼25 nm and a narrow particle size distribution. With increasing cycle number, the particle density increases and larger particles form via Ostwald ripening and coalescence. The film grows preferentially in the β-CuSCN phase. Additionally, a small fraction of the α-CuSCN phase and defect sites form.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Hilpert
- Interface Research and Catalysis, Erlangen Center for Interface Research and Catalysis, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Egerlandstraße 3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Pei-Chun Liao
- Chemistry of Thin Film Materials (CTFM), IZNF, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Cauerstraße 3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Evanie Franz
- Interface Research and Catalysis, Erlangen Center for Interface Research and Catalysis, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Egerlandstraße 3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Vanessa M Koch
- Chemistry of Thin Film Materials (CTFM), IZNF, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Cauerstraße 3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Lukas Fromm
- Lehrstuhl für Theoretische Chemie, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Egerlandstraße 3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Ece Topraksal
- PULS Group Physik Department, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Cauerstraße 3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
- Germany Group for Computational Life Sciences, Division of Physical Chemistry, Ruđer Bos̆ković Institute, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Andreas Görling
- Lehrstuhl für Theoretische Chemie, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Egerlandstraße 3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Ana-Sunc Ana Smith
- PULS Group Physik Department, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Cauerstraße 3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
- Germany Group for Computational Life Sciences, Division of Physical Chemistry, Ruđer Bos̆ković Institute, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Maïssa K S Barr
- Chemistry of Thin Film Materials (CTFM), IZNF, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Cauerstraße 3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Julien Bachmann
- Chemistry of Thin Film Materials (CTFM), IZNF, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Cauerstraße 3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Olaf Brummel
- Interface Research and Catalysis, Erlangen Center for Interface Research and Catalysis, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Egerlandstraße 3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jörg Libuda
- Interface Research and Catalysis, Erlangen Center for Interface Research and Catalysis, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Egerlandstraße 3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
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