Scandium dipivaloyl methanate as a volatile precursor for thin film deposition

The coupling of a quadrupole mass spectrometer (QMS) via a heated capillary to a commercial thermogravimetric analyser is described. The amu and temperature ranges available were up to 1000 amu and 1500°C, respectively. The system was evaluated with test compounds, yielding gaseous species in the m/z range of 17-80, and then used for the study of thermal behaviour of scandium dipivaloyl methanate or Sc(thd) 3 which is discussed in detail. Sc(thd) 2 appears as the major Sc-containing species with m/z =411 in the gas phase at 200-300°C.