# US 5,352,485 A · Synthesis of metal oxide thin films > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,352,485 A - Document ID: US5352485A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/028,594 - Filed: 1993-04-08 - Granted: 1994-10-04 - Earliest claimed: 1993-04-08 - Assignees: Case Western Reserve University - Inventors: Mark R. DeGuire; Arthur H. Heuer; Chaim N. Sukenik - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5352485A ## CPC - B05D 1/185: {applying monomolecular layers (B05D1/204 takes precedence)} - B82Y 10/00: Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic - B82Y 30/00: Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites - B82Y 40/00: Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures - C03C 17/42: at least one coating of an organic material and at least one non-metal coating - H10P 14/6342: {Liquid deposition, e.g. spin-coating, sol-gel techniques or spray coating} - H10P 14/6506: {Formation of intermediate materials} - H10P 14/6939: {characterised by the metal} - H10P 14/69394: {the material containing titanium, e.g. TiO2} - H10P 14/69397: {the material containing two or more metal elements} - B05D: PROCESSES FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL (conveying articles or workpieces through baths of liquid B65G, e.g. B65G49/02) - B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES - C03C: CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF GLASSES, GLAZES OR VITREOUS ENAMELS; SURFACE TREATMENT OF GLASS; SURFACE TREATMENT OF FIBRES OR FILAMENTS MADE FROM GLASS, MINERALS OR SLAGS; JOINING GLASS TO GLASS OR OTHER MATERIALS - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract Iron and titanium oxide thin films are deposited onto functionalized self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) which are bonded to silicon or glass substrates. The resulting oxide thin films have ordered, uniform densely packed crystalline structures. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for synthesizing a metal oxide thin film, comprising the steps of: providing a substrate having an oxide layer at its surface; covalently bonding a first end of a chain hydrocarbon to the surface of the substrate, the first end of the chain hydrocarbon having a first functional group which covalently bonds with the oxide at the substrate surface, a second end of the chain hydrocarbon having a second functional group providing a bonding site for a metal oxide in solution; and depositing metal oxides on the second functional groups. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the substrate is glass. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the substrate is silicon. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of Ge, Al, Si and Ti wherein a surface of said substrate includes an oxide. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the chain hydrocarbon includes 16 carbon atoms. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the first functional group is trichlorosilane. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the second functional group is OH. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the second functional group is COOH. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the second functional group is SO.sub.3 H. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the metal oxide formed on the chain hydrocarbon is an iron-containing oxide or hydroxide. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the metal oxide formed on the chain hydrocarbon is a titanium-containing oxide. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the metal oxide formed on the chain hydrocarbon is a zinc or tin-containing oxide. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein a plurality of chain hydrocarbons bond to the substrate and crosslink together along the surface of the substrate, the chain hydrocarbons being uniformly spaced from one another. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 wherein a plurality of metal oxides bond to the hydrocarbons and to one another to provide a uniform ordered arrangement defined by the uniform arrangement of the hydrocarbons. ### Claim 15 A method for synthesizing a thin film metal oxide, comprising the steps of: forming a self-assembled monolayer on a surface of a substrate; immersing the substrate and self-assembled monolayer into an organometallic or aqueous salt solution; and depositing a metal oxide film on the self-assembled monolayer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 wherein the film is subsequently heated to burn away the self-assembled monolayer, leaving the metal oxide film bonded directly to the substrate. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 wherein an ordered surface arrangement on the self-assembled monolayer induces crystallinity in forming the metal oxide film. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 wherein the step of depositing a metal oxide occurs at a temperature below 100.degree. C. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 wherein the step of forming the self-assembled monolayer on a substrate includes the step of bonding a trichlorosilane functional group on the self-assembled monolayer to an oxide present at the surface of the substrate. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 wherein the step of immersing is conducted for about 10 to 20 minutes in air at room temperature. ### Claim 21 A method for synthesizing a metal oxide thin film, comprising the steps of: providing a substrate having an oxide layer at its surface; covalently bonding a first end of a chain hydrocarbon to the surface of the substrate, the first end of the chain hydrocarbon having a first functional group which covalently bonds with the oxide at the substrate surface, a second end of the chain hydrocarbon having a second functional group providing a bonding site for metals in solution wherein the second functional group is COOH; and forming metal oxides on the second functional groups. ### Claim 22 A method for synthesizing a metal oxide thin film, comprising the steps of: providing a substrate having an oxide layer at its surface; covalently bonding a first end of a chain hydrocarbon to the surface of the substrate, the first end of the chain hydrocarbon having a first functional group which covalently bonds with the oxide at the substrate surface, a second end of the chain hydrocarbon having a second functional group providing a bonding site for metals in solution wherein the second functional group is SO.sub.3 H; and forming metal oxides on the second functional groups. ### Claim 23 A method for synthesizing a metal oxide thin film, comprising the steps of: providing a substrate having an oxide layer at its surface; covalently bonding a first end of each of a plurality of chain hydrocarbons to the surface of the substrate, the first end of the chain hydrocarbon having a first functional group which covalently bonds with the oxide at the substrate surface, a second end of each chain hydrocarbon having a second functional group providing a bonding site for metals in solution; crosslinking the chain hydrocarbons along the surface of the substrate, the chain hydrocarbons being uniformly spaced from one another; and forming metal oxides on the second functional groups wherein a plurality of metal oxides bond to the hydrocarbons and to one another to provide a uniform ordered arrangement defined by the uniform arrangement of the hydrocarbons. ### Claim 24 A method for synthesizing a thin film metal oxide, comprising the steps of: forming a self-assembled monolayer on a surface of a substrate; immersing the substrate and self-assembled monolayer into an organometallic or aqueous salt solution; forming a metal oxide film on the self-assembled monolayer; and subsequently heating the film to burn away the self-assembled monolayer, leaving the metal oxide film bonded directly to the substrate. ### Claim 25 A method for synthesizing a thin film metal oxide, comprising the steps of: forming a self-assembled monolayer on a surface of a substrate; immersing the substrate and self-assembled monolayer into an organometallic or aqueous salt solution; and forming a metal oxide film on the self-assembled monolayer, wherein an ordered surface arrangement on the self-assembled monolayer induces crystallinity in forming the metal oxide film.