Does chemistry really matter in the chemical vapor deposition of titanium dioxide? Precursor and kinetic effects on the microstructure of polycrystalline films

A comparison of the kinetics of titanium dioxide deposition between titanium nitrate (TN) and titanium isopropoxide (TTIP) over a large range of temperature revealed substantial variances in the reaction rate-limited regime. This is attributed to the differences in the surface lifetime of the two precursors, its diffusion length as well as its selectivity. The results also provide an explanation for the observed decrease in titanium dioxide grain size with increased temperature.