Thermochemistry and Kinetics

Abstract

The synthesis of ceramic materials from gaseous precursors has received considerable attention in recent years, and many aspects of the chemistry have been elucidated. Some of the greatest advances have come in the development of technologies for the chemical vapor deposition of ceramic films, particularly those that find uses in microelectronics fabrication. An understanding of the chemistry begins with an examination of the gas composition and equilibrium condensed phases, and continues to the detailed treatment of the gas phase and surface reaction kinetics. The database on thermodynamics properties for the chemical species of concern in ceramic synthesis is far better developed than that for the reaction kinetics. Unfortunately, thermodynamics only describes the potential to form a material. The kinetics must be known to predict the chemistry quantitatively.