Patent ID: 7956168

Claim:
An organometallic compound represented by the formula M(NR 1 R 2 ) x wherein M is a lanthanide series element selected from La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu, each of R 1 and R 2 is the same or different and is independently a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl; a substituted or unsubstituted, saturated or unsaturated, hydrocarbon, aromatic hydrocarbon, cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon, aromatic heterocycle, cycloaliphatic heterocycle, alkyl halide, silylated hydrocarbon, ether, polyether, thioether ester lactone amide, amine sol amine nitrile; or mixtures thereof; x is equal to the oxidation state of M; wherein said organometallic compound has (i) a steric bulk sufficient to maintain a monomeric structure and a coordination number equal to the oxidation state of M with respect to anionic ligands, said steric bulk greater than the steric bulk of tris(diisopropylamino)lanthanum, and (ii) a molecular weight sufficient to possess a volatility suitable for vapor deposition; and wherein said organometallic compound is a liquid at 20° C.