Patent ID: 8481119

Claim:
A method for atomic layer deposition of an elemental metal film comprising contacting a surface of a substrate with a vapor phase metal complex having a formula wherein M is a transition metal and each R is independently H, halide, linear or branched C1-6 alkyl, acyl, aldehyde, keto, C 2-4 alkenyl, or is absent thereby forming an adjacent double bond; or one or more of R2 and R3, and R6 and R7 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached form an optionally substituted aromatic or alicyclic ring; and L is a metal coordinating ligand selected from the group consisting of neutral ligands, anionic ligands and mixed ligands; such that an exchange reaction occurs between the metal complex and the surface, thereby partially dissociating the metal complex and producing a film on the surface comprising the partially dissociated metal complex bound to the surface by M; contacting the bound metal complex with a reducing gas such that an exchange reaction occurs between the bound metal complex and the reducing gas, thereby dissociating the bound metal complex and producing a layer of elemental M on the surface of the substrate.