Described herein are compositions and methods for forming silicon and oxygen containing films. In one aspect, the film is deposited from at least one precursor, wherein the at least one precursor selected from the group consisting of Formulae A and B:

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wherein R, R.sup.1, and R.sup.2-8 are as defined herein.

Methods of forming a metal film having a metal halide with a reducing agent are disclosed. The reducing agent, the reducing agent includes a group IV element containing heterocyclic compound, a radical initiator, an alkly alane, a diborene species and/or a Sn(II) compound.

A solid electrolyte represented by general formula Li.sub.ySiR.sub.x(MO.sub.4), where x is an integer from 1 to 3 inclusive, y=4?x, each R present is independently C1-C3 alkyl or C1-C3 alkoxy, and M is sulfur, selenium, or tellurium. Methods of making the solid electrolyte include combining a phenylsilane and a first acid to yield mixture including benzene and a second acid, and combining at least one of an alkali halide, and alkali amide, and an alkali alkoxide with the second acid to yield a product d represented by general formula Li.sub.ySiR.sub.x(MO.sub.4).sub.y. The second acid may be in the form of a liquid or a solid. The phenylsilane includes at least one C1-C3 alkyl substituent or at least one C1-C3 alkoxy substituent, and the first acid includes at least one of sulfuric acid, selenic acid, and telluric acid;

Visibly transparent photovoltaic devices are disclosed, such as those are transparent to visible light but absorb near-infrared light and/or ultraviolet light. The photovoltaic devices make use of transparent electrodes and near-infrared absorbing visibly transparent photoactive compounds, optical materials, and/or buffer materials.

Provided are certain liquid silicon precursors useful for the deposition of silicon-containing films, such as films comprising silicon, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, silicon dioxide, silicon carbide, carbon-doped silicon nitride, or carbon-doped silicon oxynitride. Also provided are methods for forming such films utilizing vapor deposition techniques.

Disclosed are organosilane precursors, methods of synthesizing the same, and methods of using the same to deposit silicon-containing films using vapor deposition processes. The disclosed organosilane precursors have the following formula: SiH.sub.x(RN(CR).sub.nNR).sub.y(NRR).sub.z wherein R may each independently be H, a C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkyl group, or a C.sub.3-C.sub.20 aryl or heterocycle group, x+y+z=4 and n, x, y and z are integers, provided that x3 when y=1. Preferably, n=1 to 3, x=0 to 2, y=1 to 2, and z=1 to 3.

In a method for synthesizing dialkylaminosilane from a reaction of dialkylamine with chlorosilane as the method for producing dialkylaminosilane, a large amount of dialkylamine hydrochloride is produced as a by-product, in addition to objective dialkylaminosilane. Therefore, upon obtaining objective dialkylaminosilane, reduction of volumetric efficiency caused by a large amount of a solvent is prevented, and dialkylaminosilane is produced at a low cost and in a large amount. Dialkylaminosilane having a small halogen content is produced with high volumetric efficiency by using, as a solvent upon allowing dialkylamine to react with chlorosilane, an aprotic polar solvent having high solubility in dialkylamine hydrochloride and metal chloride each produced as a by-product by the reaction, and straight-chain or branched hydrocarbon having high solubility in dialkylaminosilane and hard to dissolve a halogen compound therein.

A trichlorogermanide of formula (I): [R.sub.4N]/[R.sub.4P]Cl[GeCl.sub.3] (I), where R is Me, Et, iPr, nBu, or Ph, tris(trichlorosilyl)germanide of formula (II): [R.sub.4N]/[R.sub.4P][Ge(SiCl.sub.3).sub.3] (II), where R is Me, Et, iPr, nBu, or Ph, a tris(trichlorosilyl)germanide adduct of GaCl.sub.3 of formula (III): [Ph.sub.4P][Ge(SiCl.sub.3).sub.3*GaCl.sub.3], and a tris(trichlorosilyl)germanide adduct of BBr.sub.3 of formula (IV): [Ph.sub.4P][Ge(SiCl.sub.3).sub.3*BBr.sub.3]. Also, methods for preparing the trichlorogermanides of formula (I), the tris(trichlorosilyl)germanide of formula (II), the tris(trichlorosilyl)germanide adduct of BBr.sub.3 of formula (IV).

A method for making tris(disilanyl)amine. The method comprises steps of: (a) contacting a disilanyl(alkyl)amine with ammonia to make bis(disilanyl)amine; and (b) allowing bis(disilanyl)amine to produce tris(disilanyl)amine and ammonia.

The invention provides a direct solvent free method for the selective synthesis of trialkoxysilanes having the formula SiH(OR).sub.3, the method comprises providing a mixture of metallic silicon and copper based catalyst in a packed bed reactor, wherein neither the metallic silicon nor the silicon-catalyst mixture is subjected to any washing step. Claim 1 relates to a direct solvent free method for the selective synthesis of trialkoxysilanes having the formula SiH(OR).sub.3, wherein each R is a C.sub.1-C.sub.4 alkyl, the method comprising the steps of: providing a mixture of metallic silicon and copper based catalyst in a packed bed reactor; heating the mixture at an activation temperature of about 180 C.-about 250 C.; introducing C.sub.1-C.sub.4 alcohol to the reactor at a reaction temperature of about 180 C.-less than about 250 C.; condensing the reaction products in a heat exchanger; and collecting the condensed reaction products, wherein neither the metallic silicon nor the silicon-catalyst mixture is subjected to any washing step, including a hydro fluoric acid (HF) washing step.