Rapid vapor-phase fabrication of organic-inorganic hybrid superlattices with monolayer precision

Abstract

The ability to grow organic-inorganic hybrid thin films a monolayer at a time provides an important path for the creation of new materials for optical and electronic devices. Here, we report a new layer-by-layer growth method of self-assembled organic multiplayer thin films based on gas-phase reactions. In the present molecular layer deposition (MLD), the alkylsiloxane self-assembled multilayers (SAMs) were grown in vacuum by repeated sequential adsorptions of C=C - terminated alkysilane and titanium hydroxide. The MLD method is self-controlled, the layer-by-layer growth, and perfectly compatible with the atomic layer deposition (ALD) method. The SAMs films thus prepared exhibit a good thermal and mechanical stability, and unique electrical properties. The MLD method, combined with ALD, was applied to the preparation of organic-inorganic hybrid nanolaminate films in the ALD chamber. The advantages of the MLD method with ALD include accurate control of film thickness, large-scale uniformity, highly conformal layering, sharp interfaces, and vast library of materials. The MLD method with ALD is an ideal fabrication technique of various organic-inorganic hybrid superlattices.