A combinatorial approach to phase synthesis and characterisation in atmospheric pressure chemical vapour deposition

A combinatorial approach to synthesis has been successfully applied to a number of areas of chemistry and materials. This approach is always composed of two key stages, firstly the simultaneous synthesis of a large number of compounds, often within a grid of micro-reactors, or across a substrate with a compositional gradient; and secondly an analytical technique that can rapidly investigate a desired property and compare the results for the compositional range. s paper we present the results of a combinatorial approach to Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Vapour Deposition. By using a modified reactor with multiple reagent entry points, and introducing reagents into the reactor through these asymmetrically, a compositional gradient across a deposited film can be formed. The technique will be demonstrated with examples of titanium and tungsten oxides. The rapid analytical method used, the second key step in a combinatorial synthesis, is micro-focus X-ray diffraction mapping, and this will also be discussed.