Materials and Precursors
The range of materials deposited by EBID currently (sept. 2008) includes Al, Au, amorphous carbon, diamond, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, GaAs, GaN, Ge, Mo, Nb, Ni, Os, Pd, Pt, Rh, Ru, Re, Si, Si3N4, SiOx, TiOx, W, and is being expanded. The limiting factor is availability of appropriate precursors, gaseous or having low sublimation temperature.
The most popular precursors for deposition of elemental solids are metal carbonyls of Me(CO)x structure or metallocenes. They are easily available, but produce carbon contamination. Metal-halogen complexes (WF6, etc.) result in cleaner deposition, but they are toxic and corrosive. Compound materials are deposited from specially crafted, exotic gases, e.g. D2GaN3 for GaN.
Read more about this topic: Electron Beam-induced Deposition
Famous quotes containing the word materials:
“If only it were God’s will that printed and written materials have as much influence on the people as the princes and their censors fear! Considering the countless good books we have, the world would have changed for the better a long time ago.”
—Franz Grillparzer (1791–1872)