Reaction pathways for atomic layer deposition with lithium hexamethyl disilazide, trimethyl phosphate, and oxygen plasma

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) of lithium-containing films is of interest for the development of next-generation energy storage devices. Lithium hexamethyl disilazide (LiHMDS) is an established precursor to grow these types of films. The LiHMDS molecule can either be used as a single-source precursor molecule for lithium or as a dual-source precursor molecule for lithium and silicon. Single-source behavior of LiHMDS is observed in the deposition process with trimethylphosphate (TMP) resulting in the deposition of crystalline lithium phosphate (Li3PO4). In contrast, LiHMDS exhibits dual-source behavior when combined with O2 plasma, resulting in a lithium silicate. Both processes were characte…