title: Gas-phase ion chemistry of GeH(4)/B(2)H(6) mixtures.
abstract: The gas phase ion-molecule reactions in positively and negatively ionized germane/diborane mixtures have been studied by ion trap mass spectrometry. Reaction sequences and rate constants for the most interesting processes have been determined. In positive ionization, formation of Ge-B bonds exclusively occurs through condensation reactions of B(n)H(m)(+) ions with germane, followed by H(2) or BH(3) loss. No reactions of ions from germane with B(2)H(6) were observed under the experimental conditions used here. In negative ionization, the Ge(n)H(m)(-) (n = 1, 2) ion families react with diborane to yield the Ge(n)B(p)H(q)(-) (p = 1, 2) ions, again via dehydrogenation and BH(3) loss, while diborane anions proved to be unreactive. In both positive and negative ionization, Ge-B ions reach appreciable abundances. The present results afford fundamental information about the intrinsic reactivity of gas-phase ions and provide valuable indications about the first nucleation steps ultimately leading to amorphous Ge and B-doped semiconductor materials by chemical vapor deposition methods.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chimica Generale ed Organica Applicata, Università di Torino,10125 Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Lorenza
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Operti
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rabezzana
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Turco
authors.forename: Gian Angelo
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Vaglio