The adsorption of the organometallic compounds bis(hexafluoroacetylacetonato)zinc(II) (Zn(hfac)2) and bis(hexafluoroacetylacetonato)nickel(II) (Ni(hfac)2) on the surface of Si(111)-7×7 were studied by a combination of scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). These compounds are analogues of the compound bis(hexafluoroacetylacetonato)copper(II), which is an important precursor for the chemical vapour deposition of copper that we have previously studied. Both XPS and STM results indicate that the Zn(hfac)2 is adsorbed intact on the surface, and remains intact on the surface at temperatures up to 300 K. The XPS shows a transition from a physisorbed state to a chemisorbed state at temperatures between 160 and 300 K. At higher temperatures Zn(hfac)2 decomposed to form Zn and fluorocarbon fragments. The metal component diffused into the substrate. The Ni(hfac)2 complex could not be successfully adsorbed on the Si surface: it was shown that this was due to decomposition of the molecule in the vapour phase, probably due to the higher temperatures needed to evaporate this relatively involatile compound.Key words: scanning tunnelling microscopy, chemical vapour deposition, zinc, copper.
