Pyrolysis of tertiarybutylphosphine at low pressure

The pyrolysis of tertiarybutylphosphine (TBP) has been studied in the low pressure conditions used for chemical beam epitaxy (CBE). The pyrolysis studies were carried out in low pressure reactors of two different configurations, one of which is a cracker cell designed for use in a CBE system. The reaction products were studied using a quadrupole mass spectrometer. The products observed are accounted for by a reaction mechanism involving homolysis of the parent TBP molecule to produce PH2 and C4H9 radicals. These undergo subsequent reactions to form the stable products C4H8, PH3 and H2, with smaller amounts of P and P2 being produced. The production of the sub-hydride PH2 using this cracker cell design indicates that the use of partially cracked TBP may be a promising technique for reducing the amount of carbon incorporated into the growing epitaxial layer.