Molecular Rare-Earth Metal and Actinide Precursors for Chemical Vapor Deposition

Rare-earth metal and actinide based thin films are promising materials for applications ranging from optoelectronics to energy storage and conversion. While chemical vapor deposition (CVD) exhibits substantial advantages over physical vapor deposition, CVD processes rely on precursor design to achieve a high volatility, appropriate stability, and controllable reactivity. This is particularly challenging for rare-earth metals and actinides since they primarily form ionic bonds. Despite the challenges, the number of rare-earth metal and actinide CVD precursors has greatly increased recently. This perspective summarizes the recent progress with an emphasis on molecular design. In addition, we will provide an in-depth discussion on the design strategy and structure-performance relationship and an outlook for the future development of the field.