Ex Situ In Vacuo and In Situ Studies on Mechanisms of ALD Processes

This master's thesis consists of two parts related to atomic layer deposition (ALD) processes: a literature survey of so-called ex situ in vacuo analysis methods used in investigations of the ALD chemistry and a summary of the work performed by the author using in situ methods. The first part of the thesis is divided into four sections. In the first two sections ALD as a thin film deposition method is introduced, and in situ and ex situ in vacuo publications related to ALD are summarized. The third section is a general overview of ex situ in vacuo analysis methods, and the final section a literature review covering publications where ex situ in vacuo techniques have been employed in studying ALD processes, with a strong emphasis on analysis methods which are based on the use of x-rays. The second part of the thesis consists of in situ quartz crystal microbalance and quadrupole mass spectrometry studies of the V(NEtMe)4/D2O, V(NEtMe)4/O3, Mg(thd)2/TiF4 and Cu2(CH3COO)4/D2O ALD processes. The experimental apparatus and related theory are given a brief overview, followed by a presentation and discussion of the results.