Formation of TiO2 thin films using NH3 as catalyst by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

We have studied metalorganic chemical vapor deposition of TiO2 thin films using titanium tetra-isopropoxide [TTIP, Ti(O-C3H7)4] and NH3 as a catalyst at deposition temperatures ranging from 250 to 365°C. At deposition temperatures above 330°C, pyrolytic self-decomposition of TTIP is dominant regardless of the use of NH3, and the activation energy for TiO2 film formation is 152 kJ/mol. At deposition temperatures below 330°C, the films can be formed with the help of the catalytic activity of NH3, and the activation energy is reduced to 55 kJ/mol. TiO2 films deposited through the pyrolytic self-decomposition of TTIP have an anatase structure before and after performing post-deposition annealing in oxygen ambient for 30 min at 750°C. On the other hand, the as-deposited films formed through the catalytic reaction of TTIP with NH3 incorporate nitrogen impurities and have microcrystallites of the rutile structure within the amorphous matrix. However, the post-deposition annealing, the nitrogen impurities are completely removed from the films, and the films are converted into polycrystalline TiO2 films with the rutile structure, which have a high dielectric constant of 82 and a low leakage current.