A novel synthetic route to ether-Free metal alkyl precursors

A new synthetic route to metal alkyl precursors has been developed, eliminating ether solvents which have been shown to result in unintentional oxygen incorporation in epitaxial AlGaAs layers. The synthesis is performed in a trialkylamine solvent and the need for an additional adduct purification step is eliminated. The products of triisopropylgallium synthesis solvated by either ethyldimethylamine or triethylamine have been assessed as potential growth precursors for chemical beam epitaxy by¹H NMR spectroscopy, vapor pressure measurements and GaAs growth rate measurements.