MOCVD of aluminium oxide films using aluminium β\beta-diketonates as precursors

Deposition of Al$_2$0$_3$ coatings by CVD is of importance because they are often used as abrading material in cemented carbide cutting tools. The conventionally used CVD process for Al$_2$0$_3$ involves the corrosive reactant AICl$_3$. In this paper, we report on the thermal characterisation of the metalorganic precursors namely aluminium tris-tetramethyl-heptanedionate [ Al(thd)$_3$] and aluminium tris-acetylacetonate [ Al(acac)$_3$] and their application to the CVD of Al$_2$0$_3$ films. Crystalline A1203 films were deposited by MOCVD at low temperatures by the pyrolysis of Al(thd)$_3$ and AI(acac)$_3$. The films were deposited on a TiN-coated tungsten carbide (TiN/WC) and Si(100) substrates in the temperature range 500-1100 °C. The as-deposited films were characterised by x-ray diffraction, optical microscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy. The observed crystallinity of films grown at low temperatures, their microstructure, and composition may be interpreted in terms of a growth process that involves the melting of the metalorganic precursor on the hot growth surface

How Werner Güth's ultimatum game shaped our understanding of social behavior

Werner Güth's ultimatum game played a key role in the development of multiple research areas, several of which are highlighted. © 2014 Published by Elsevier B.V