Molecular beam study of possible CVD intermediates from Group-14 organometallic precursors

Neutral products were examined via photoionization mass spectrometry following high-voltage discharge on a variety of volatile organometallic compounds containing Group-14 elements in helium. HV discharge on organosilicon precursors in the presence of nitrogen produced Si2N as the nearly exclusive product; M2N analogs were observed for M=Ge, Sn precursors but did not show the same remarkable propensity for formation. With an organogermane precursor, GeOH, GeNO2, and GeNO3 also showed significant propensities to form. Finally, toluene – the all carbon analog of phenylsilane – reacted with oxygen copresent in the discharge to give C2O2+ as the only observed cationic product following photoionization.