Infrared studies of exchange and pyrolysis reactions in mixtures of trimethylamine alane and trimethylgallium

Abstract Mixtures of vapours of trimethylamine alane and trimethylgallium have been studied using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and infrared laser powered homogeneous pyrolysis. The spectroscopic results confirm the existence of rapid exchange reactions, resulting in an accumulation of methyl groups on the aluminium. The pyrolysis studies indicate that the resultant gallium-hydrogen species are pyrolyzed more readily, leading to a depletion of gallium in the gas phase. These observations are related to recent results using these mixtures as precursors to deposition of AlGaAs.