On the pyrophoricity, safety, and handling of metalorganic chemicals

The high demand for optoelectronic and electronic devices is driving metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) and atomic layer deposition (ALD) processes towards higher throughput and shorter production cycles. This in turn has driven production facilities to use larger cylinders and bulk delivery systems for the metalorganics (MOs) that are used in these growth processes. The use of “bulk” quantities of pyrophoric MOs has raised several safety and handling questions. In this paper, we show the level of protection provided by various kinds of personal protective equipment when exposed to these chemicals. We also examine several scenarios for MO exposure from a conventional MO cylinder (bubbler) and discuss how to handle these incidents in a safe manner. Finally, we examine the toxicity of TMGa, by doing an inhalation study on rats and monitoring the resulting effects on their bodies and general health; to our knowledge this is the first study ever completed which measures the toxicity of a pyrophoric material.