The parent germylene GeH2 can be stabilized via dual coordination by an N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) and a Lewis acid, to give complexes with the general formula NHC●GeH2●BH3. Recently our team was able to prepare the germanium(II) dihydride complex ImMe2●GeH2●BH3 (ImMe2 = (HCNMe)2C:) with ca. 40 wt% Ge. Heating this complex in organic solvent deposits 30 to 70 nm thick layers of elemental germanium onto a variety of substrates, and the mechanism of decomposition of this GeH2 complex was examined via computational and kinetic studies. Furthermore, a new method for Ge film deposition will be discussed, starting from known Ge(OR)2 compounds and hydride sources. The deposition of nanoscale (and conformal) germanium layers has been shown by other groups to increase the efficiency of solar cells and photodetectors, thus our new synthetic methods could be used to advance optoelectronics.

New routes to germanium thin films: Solution deposition from molecular Ge(II) precursors

ACS Spring Meeting 2021

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