Gas-phase ion chemistry of the allene-phosphine and silane-allene-phosphine systems

The gas-phase ion chemistry of allene–phosphine and silane–allene–phosphine mixtures was studied by ion trap mass spectrometry. Rate constants of the main processes were measured and compared with the collisional rate constants to determine the reaction efficiencies. For the binary mixture, the highest yield of C- and P-containing ions is obtained with a 1 : 1 partial pressure ratio among the reagents. In the ternary mixture, formation of ion species containing Si, C and P together is mainly achieved in reactions of Si/P ions with allene, with a lower contribution from reactions of Si/C and C/P ions with phosphine and silane, respectively. The formation of ternary ion clusters is related to their possible role as precursors of amorphous silicon carbides doped with phosphorus, obtained by deposition from properly activated silane–allene–phosphine mixtures.