Advances in Deposition of Metals from Metal Enolates

This chapter describes the use of metal enolates as precursors for the deposition and growth of nano-sized materials of a large variety of metal, mixed metal-metal oxide, and alloy layers and patterns, an area that has rapidly developed during the last couple of decades. As metal enolates, mostly mononuclear main group, transition metal, and rare earth metal complexes featuring various β-diketonate or β-ketoiminate ligands have been used. Based on their intrinsic properties, for example, reactivity, transparency, conductivity, and magnetism, a large variety of metal and/or metal oxide deposits are available at present. As deposition processes, mainly gas-phase (e.g., CVD2–9 and ALD8–19) or liquid-phase procedures (including spin-coating, dip-coating, sol–gel, and printing techniques) were used. Controlled decomposition of the appropriate metal enolates allows the generation of diverse metal and metal oxide materials, for example, dense or porous thin layers and nanomaterials in the form of particles, dots, rods, tubes, and wires. Where appropriate, the similarities and differences, including elementary decomposition steps that are common for the respective metal enolate precursors, are discussed as well. Keywords: metal enolates; mixed metal oxides; organometallic and metalorganic iridium compounds; nickel enolates; platinum-group metal ruthenium; transition-metal β-diketonates