FT-IR spectroscopy as a valuable tool for the optimisation of thin film growth by MOCVD

Gas-phase FT-IR spectroscopy has been employed to study the thermal decomposition of titanium tetraisopropoxide in a hot-wall LP-MOCVD (Low-Pressure Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition) reactor under typical TiO2 deposition conditions.The effect of the total pressure (varied from 80 to 500 Pa) and of the presence of oxygen on precursor thermal behaviour has been studied. On the basis of such preliminary data, growths of TiO2 have been carried out in the temperature range 390-420°C at 80 Pa. Good-quality TiO2 thin films have been obtained both with and without oxygen on different substrates (stainless steel, glass, quartz and gold).