Jason P. Coyle

Anomalous permittivity and plasmon resonances of copper nanoparticle conformal coatings on optical fibers

The conformal coating of a 50 nm-thick layer of copper nanoparticles deposited with pulse chemical vapor deposition of a copper (I) guanidinate precursor on the cladding of a single mode optical fiber was monitored by using a tilted fiber Bragg grating (TFBG) photo-inscribed in the fiber core. The pulse-per-pulse growth of the copper nanoparticles is readily obtained from the position and amplitudes of resonances in the reflection spectrum of the grating. In particular, we confirm that the real part of the effective complex permittivity of the deposited nano-structured copper layer is an order of magnitude larger than that of a bulk copper film at an optical wavelength of 1550 nm. We further observe a transition in the growth behavior from granular to continuous film (as determined from the complex material permittivity) after approximately 20 pulses (corresponding to an effective thickness of 25 nm). Finally, despite the remaining granularity of the film, the final copper-coated optical fiber is shown to support plasmon waves suitable for sensing, even after the growth of a thin oxide layer on the copper surface.

Gas-Phase Thermolysis of a Guanidinate Precursor of Copper Studied by Matrix Isolation, Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry, and Computational Chemistry

The fragmentation of the copper(I) guanidinate [Me(2)NC(NiPr)(2)Cu](2) (1) has been investigated with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF MS), matrix-isolation FTIR spectroscopy (MI FTIR spectroscopy), and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Gas-phase thermolyses of 1 were preformed in the temperature range of 100-800 degrees C. TOF MS and MI FTIR gave consistent results, showing that precursor 1 starts to fragment at oven temperatures above 150 degrees C, with a close to complete fragmentation at 260 degrees C. Precursor 1 thermally fragments to Cu((s)), H(2)(g), and the oxidized guanidine Me(2)NC(=NiPr)(N=CMe(2)) (3). In TOF MS experiment, 3 was clearly indentified by its molecular ion at 169.2 u. Whereas H(2)(+) was detected, atomic Cu was not found in gas-phase thermolysis. In addition, the guanidine Me(2)NC(NiPr)(NHiPr) (2) was detected as a minor component among the thermolysis products. MI thermolysis experiments with precursor 1 were performed, and species evolving from the thermolysis oven were trapped in solid argon at 20 K. These species were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy. The most indicative feature of the resulting spectra from thermolysis above 150 degrees C was a set of intense and structured peaks between 1600 and 1700 cm(-1), an area where precursor 1 does not have any absorbances. The guanidine 2 was matrix-isolated, and a comparison of its FTIR spectrum with the spectra of the thermolysis of 1 indicated that species 2 was among the thermolysis products. However, the main IR bands in the range of 1600 and 1700 cm(-1) appeared at 1687.9, 1668.9, 1635.1, and 1626.6 cm(-1) and were not caused by species 2. The oxidized guanidine 3 was synthesized for the first time and characterized by (1)H NMR and FTIR spectroscopy. A comparison of an FTIR spectrum of matrix isolated 3 with spectra of the thermolysis of 1 revealed that the main IR bands in the range of 1600 and 1700 cm(-1) are due to the presence of 3. The isomers exhibit the NMe(2) group cis or trans to the iPr group, with cis-3 being significantly less stable than trans-3. At higher temperature secondary thermal fragments had been observed. For example at 700 degrees C, TOF MS and MI FTIR data showed that species 2 and 3 both eliminate HNMe(2) to give the carbodiimides iPrNCNiPr (CDI) and iPrNCN[C(=CH(2))Me] (4), respectively. A DFT study of the decomposition of compound 1 was undertaken at the B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p) level of theory employing dispersion-correcting potentials (DCPs). The DFT study rationalized both carbodiimide deinsertion and beta-hydrogen elimination as exergonic decomposition pathways (DeltaG = -44.4 kcal/mol in both cases), but experiment showed beta-hydrogen elimination to be the favorable route.

Copper iminopyrrolidinates: a study of thermal and surface chemistry.

Several copper(I) iminopyrrolidinates have been evaluated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and solution based (1)H NMR studies to determine their thermal stability and decomposition mechanisms. Iminopyrrolidinates were used as a ligand for copper(I) to block previously identified decomposition routes of carbodiimide deinsertion and β-hydrogen abstraction. The compounds copper(I) isopropyl-iminopyrrolidinate (1) and copper(I) tert-butyl-iminopyrrolidinate (2) were synthesized for this study, and compared to the previously reported copper(I) tert-butyl-imino-2,2-dimethylpyrrolidinate (3) and the copper(I) guanidinate [Me(2)NC((i)PrN)(2)Cu](2) (4). Compounds 1 and 2 were found to be volatile yet susceptible to decomposition during TGA. At 165 °C in C(6)D(6), they had half-lives of 181.7 h and 23.7 h, respectively. The main thermolysis product of 1 and 2 was their respective protonated iminopyrrolidine ligand. β-Hydrogen abstraction was proposed for the mechanism of thermal decomposition. Since compound 3 showed no thermolysis at 165 °C, it was further studied by chemisorption on high surface area silica. It was found to eliminate an isobutene upon chemisoption at 275 °C. Annealing the sample at 350 °C showed further evidence of the decomposition of the surface species, likely eliminating ethene, and producing a surface bound methylene diamine.

Atomic layer deposition of Cu with a carbene-stabilized Cu(I) silylamide

The metal–organic Cu(I) complex 1,3-diisopropyl-imidazolin-2-ylidene copper hexamethyl disilazide has been tested as a novel oxygen-free precursor for atomic layer deposition of Cu with molecular hydrogen. Being a strong Lewis base, the carbene stabilizes the metal centre to form a monomeric compound that can be vaporised and transported without visible degradation. A significant substrate dependence of the growth process not only with respect to the film material but also to the structure of the films was observed. On Pd surfaces continuous films are grown and no phase boundary can be observed between the Cu film and the Pd, while island growth is observed on Ru substrates, which as a consequence requires thicker films in order to achieve a fully coalesced layer. Island growth is also observed for ultra-thin (<10 nm) Pd layers on Si substrates. Possible explanations for the different growth modes observed are discussed.

Unusually Sharp Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance in Supported Silver Nanocrystals with a Thin Dielectric Coating

An unusually sharp localized surface plasmon resonance (sLSPR) is observed for a monolayer of glass-supported silver nanocubes coated with a thin, 5-20 nm, Al2O3 film. The resonance becomes significantly narrower and stronger while losing optical anisotropy and sensitivity to the surroundings with increasing overlayer thickness. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering excitation profiles indicate an additional enhancement to the electric field brought in by the sLSPR. The resonance is thought to originate from a Fano-like constructive interference between the quadrupolar and dipolar LSPR modes in supported silver nanocubes leading to enhanced light extinction. This phenomenon is of significance for plasmon-induced charge-transfer processes in photovoltaics and catalysis.

Effect of the nature of the substrate on the surface chemistry of atomic layer deposition precursors

The thermal chemistry of Cu(I)-sec-butyl-2-iminopyrrolidinate, a promising copper amidinate complex for atomic layer deposition (ALD) applications, was explored comparatively on several surfaces by using a combination of surface-sensitive techniques, specifically temperature-programmed desorption and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The substrates explored include single crystals of transition metals (Ni(110) and Cu(110)), thin oxide films (NiO/Ni(110) and SiO2/Ta), and oxygen-treated metals (O/Cu(110)). Decomposition of the pyrrolidinate ligand leads to the desorption of several gas-phase products, including CH3CN, HCN and butene from the metals and CO and CO2 from the oxygen-containing surfaces. In all cases dehydrogenation of the organic moieties is accompanied by hydrogen removal from the surface, in the form of H2 on metals and mainly as water from the metal oxides, but the threshold for this chemistry varies wildly, from 270 K on Ni(110) to 430 K on O/Cu(110), 470 K on Cu(110), 500 K on NiO/Ni(110), and 570 K on SiO2/Ta. Copper reduction is also observed in both the Cu 2p3/2 XPS and the Cu L3 VV Auger (AES) spectra, reaching completion by 300 K on Ni(110) but occurring only between 500 and 600 K on Cu(110). On NiO/Ni(110), both Cu(I) and Cu(0) coexist between 200 and 500 K, and on SiO2/Ta a change happens between 500 and 600 K but the reduction is limited, with the copper atoms retaining a significant ionic character. Additional experiments to test adsorption at higher temperatures led to the identification of temperature windows for the self-limiting precursor uptake required for ALD between approximately 300 and 450 K on both Ni(110) and NiO/Ni(110); the range on SiO2 had been previously determined to be wider, reaching an upper limit at about 500 K. Finally, deposition of copper metal films via ALD cycles with O2 as the co-reactant was successfully accomplished on the Ni(110) substrate.

Activation of the dimers and tetramers of metal amidinate atomic layer deposition precursors upon adsorption on silicon oxide surfaces

The gas-phase structure of three copper amidinate compounds, copper(I)-N,N′-di-sec-butyl-acetamidinate (1), copper(I)-N-sec-butyl-2-iminopyrrolidinate (2), and copper(I)-N-tert-butyl-5,5-dimethyl-2-iminopyrrolidinate (3), and their initial adsorption on silicon oxide surfaces, were characterized by a combination of experimental measurements and density-functional theory (DFT) calculations. These compounds have previously been shown to crystallize in dimeric or tetrameric form, and liquid-injection field desorption ionization mass spectrometry data proved that such structures are retained upon vaporization into the gas phase (dimers for the first and third compounds, a tetramer for the second). Results from DFT calculations of the relative energies of formation of the monomers, dimers, and tetramers confirmed the experimental results. Adsorption on the surface of silicon oxide films was determined, based on additional DFT calculations, to lead to the binding of the copper amidinates preferentially as dimer...

Chemical Vapour Deposition and Atomic Layer Deposition: Metals for Optical Fibres

Deposition of metal thin films is well-established for vapour-based methods like atomic layer deposition (ALD) and chemical vapour deposition (CVD). The chemistry of the

Plasmonic properties of copper nanoparticles deposited on tilted fiber bragg gratings

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensors have been widely used in refractive-index related measurements, including label-free bio-chemical sensing, because of their high sensitivity and real-time detection capability. It is well established that noble metals, in particular, gold (Au) and silver (Ag), support plasmon resonances that can be tuned throughout the UV-vis-NIR region. However, the plasmonic properties of Cu have not received much attention as compared to Au and Ag because of oxidation of the Cu surfaces [1].