Deposition of yttrium carbide (yc) film

A method for forming rare earth carbide films, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) exposing a substrate to a vapor of a rare earth-containing film-forming composition;
• b) exposing the substrate to a co-reactant;
• c) depositing at least part of the cyclopentadienyl rare earth-containing precursor onto the substrate to form the rare earth carbide film;
• and
• d) repeating the steps of a) and c) until a desired thickness of the rare earth carbide films is deposited on the substrate using a vapor deposition process,
• wherein the rare earth-containing film-forming composition comprises a cyclopentadienyl rare earth-containing precursor having the formula:
• wherein R-amd is an amidinate ligand, RNC(CH3)═NR, wherein the two R groups are the same or different;
• Cp is cyclopentadienyl;
• Ln is selected from Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb or Lu;
• R1, R2, and R each are independently selected from a hydrogen atom, a C1 to C5 linear or branched alkyl-group, a C3 to C5 cyclic alkyl-group;
• and m and n are integers.