MOCVD of Thin Ruthenium Oxide Films: Properties and Growth Kinetics

Abstract

Conducting thin films of RuO2 were grown on glass by metal–organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) at substrate temperatures down to 623 K. Tris-trifluoroacetylacetonate-rutheniumIII (Ru(tfa)3) served as the precursor. Film properties, such as resistivity, were improved by the addition of water to the reaction gas. The films were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and four-probe resistivity measurements. The growth mechanism was studied by in situ ellipsometry, and a model reaction mechanism is proposed. The electrochemical characterization by cyclic voltammetry revealed very small overpotentials for both hydrogen and oxygen evolution. The properties of the films, in particular the resistivity (ρ as low as 72 μΩ cm), are comparable to CVD and sputtered films deposited at much higher temperatures.