This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is in the general area of chemical synthesis in the subfield of materials chemistry. Zinc selenide (ZnSe) has important potential applications as a material for visible light emitting devices and short wavelength lasers for display applications. Metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) of ZnSe is the most promising production method but is hampered by its use of hydrogen selenide, an extremely hazardous and toxic gas. Hydrogen selenide also has significant disadvantages because it undergoes room temperature gas phase reaction with dialkylzinc reagents leading to poor growth uniformity and morphology. Initial attempts to replace hydrogen selenide with organoselenium source reagents have met with limited success due to high growth temperatures and carbon contamination of the deposited films. This Phase I program will investigate novel organoselenium reagents based on rational molecular design and understanding of decomposition mechanisms. Subsequent research will allow for the scale-up and purification of the optimal reagent for the production of ZnSe.
