The thermal decomposition of dimethylaluminum isopropoxide dimer, [(CH3)(2)Al((OC3H7)-C-i)](2), on Si(1 0 0) is investigated by line-of-sight temperature programmed desorption (LOS-TPD), line-of-sight isothermal reaction spectroscopy (LOS-IRS), and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). [(CH3)(2)Al((OC3H7)-C-i)](2) does not decompose upon adsorption on Si(1 0 0) held at 100 K or during subsequent LOS-TPD. AES indicates that film growth starts when the precursor is dosed with the substrate at similar to650 K. LOS-IRS shows that the monomer, [(CH3)(2)Al((OC3H7)-C-i)](2), is an intermediate in the process of the dimer decomposition to aluminum-containing films, and that further decompositions occur via breaking the C-Al and O-C bonds. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.