Formation of alumina film using alloy catalyzers in catalytic chemical vapor deposition

•Formation of Al2O3 films have been examined by low-cost alloy catalyzers in Cat-CVD using TMA and O2 as precursor gases.•Small activation energy for decomposing TMA is attributed to catalysis of Cr content contained in the alloys.•The decomposition intensity of TMA is attributed to catalysis of Ni content contained in the alloys.•The deposition rate of Al2O3 films is proportional to Ni contents contained in the alloys.•Al2O3 deposition rate of 0.31 nm/s has been archived using a small and low-cost Alumel catalyzer contained Ni.

The decomposition of tri-methyl aluminum (TMA) by various catalytic alloys is investigated to find low cost and oxidation-resistive catalyzers for preparation of alumina films by catalytic chemical vapor deposition (Cat-CVD) method. It is found that the temperature to decompose TMA in catalytic decomposition process decreases in the temperature region below 500 °C with associated reduction in activation energy as chromium (Cr) contents in catalytic alloys increase. It is also found that the density of decomposed species increases as nickel (Ni) contents in alloys increase. It has been confirmed from alumina film formation experiments using various alloy catalyzers that the growth rate of films increases as Ni contents included in the catalytic alloys increase.