A detailed understanding
of the growth of noble metals by atomic
layer deposition (ALD) is key for various applications of these materials
in catalysis and nanoelectronics. The Pt ALD process using MeCpPtMe
3
and O
2
gas as reactants serves as a model system
for the ALD processes of noble metals in general. The surface chemistry
of this process was studied by
in situ
vibrational
broadband sum-frequency generation (BB-SFG) spectroscopy, and the
results are placed in the context of a literature overview of the
reaction mechanism. The BB-SFG experiments provided direct evidence
for the presence of CH
3
groups on the Pt surface after
precursor chemisorption at 250 °C. Strong evidence was found
for the presence of a C=C containing complex (
e.g
., the form of Cp species) and for partial dehydrogenation of the
surface species during the precursor half-cycle. The reaction kinetics
of the precursor half-cycle were followed at 250 °C, showing
that the C=C coverage saturated before the saturation of CH
3
. This complex behavior points to the competition of multiple
surface reactions, also reflected in the temperature dependence of
the reaction mechanism. The CH
3
saturation coverage decreased
significantly with temperature, while the C=C coverage remained
constant after precursor chemisorption on the Pt surface for temperatures
from 80 to 300 °C. These SFG results have resulted in a better
understanding of the Pt ALD process and also highlight the surface
chemistry during thin-film growth as a promising field of study for
the BB-SFG community.