Aluminum tri-isopropoxide as an alternative precursor for atomic layer deposition of aluminum oxide thin films

Due to the safety challenges associated with the use of trimethylaluminum as a metal precursor for the deposition of alumina, different chemicals have been investigated over the years to replace it. The authors have investigated the use of aluminum tri-isopropoxide (TIPA) as an alternative alkoxide precursor for the safe and cost-effective deposition of alumina. In this work, TIPA is used as a stable Al source for atomic layer deposition (ALD) of Al2O3 when different oxidizing agents including water, oxygen plasma, water plasma, and ozone are employed. The authors have explored the deposition of Al2O3 using TIPA in ALD systems operating in vacuum and atmospheric pressure conditions. For the…