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Group 14 Complexes for Thin Film Deposition: Studies in Stabilization and Reactivity
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- Author / Creator
- Sinclair, Jocelyn
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The work in this Thesis strives to form a bridge in the understanding between the thriving field of Main Group element stabilization with N-heterocyclic carbenes and developments in thin film deposition for technological applications. Previous work in the Rivard group has excelled at applying Lewis acid-base stabilization to isolate reactive intermediates of Group 14 hydrides, and the work in this Thesis builds upon these established synthetic methods and framework to controllably liberate germanium and tin hydride moieties for pure element thin film deposition at low temperatures in solution.
The first research Chapter in this Thesis presents a synthetic method for the isolation of a high wt% germanium complex using an N-heterocyclic carbene. This germanium complex undergoes thermolysis at 100 °C to deposit amorphous Ge thin films on a variety of substrates, most notably silicon wafers. The germanium complex and similar derivatives were investigated experimentally and computationally, with decomposition occuring through direct cleavage of dative bonds to release Ge and soluble by-products. In the following Chapter, N-heterocyclic carbenes prove to be a hinderance in the hydrogermylation of germanium alkoxides en route to semi-crystalline germanium thin films. The germanium alkoxide studied is able to produce two interesting materials when combined with a mild hydride source: 1) a branched oligogermane is obtained with a remarkable degree of hydride substitution at germanium and 2) thin microcrystalline Ge0 films which can be controllably deposited at low temperatures. Finally, an analogous tin alkoxide species is shown to undergo rapid hydrostannylation at room temperature to give crystalline Sn. -
- Graduation date
- Fall 2022
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- Type of Item
- Thesis
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- Degree
- Doctor of Philosophy
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- License
- This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Library with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.