Effect of Process Pressure on the Properties of Cu<sub>2</sub>O Thin Films Deposited by RF Magnetron Sputtering
Cu<sub>2</sub>O thin films were deposited on soda-lime glass substrates using RF magnetron sputtering under various process pressures, and their structural, morphological, compositional, and optical properties were investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed that the films crystallize...
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Crystals |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4352/15/1/2 |
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| Summary: | Cu<sub>2</sub>O thin films were deposited on soda-lime glass substrates using RF magnetron sputtering under various process pressures, and their structural, morphological, compositional, and optical properties were investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed that the films crystallized in the cubic Cu<sub>2</sub>O phase, with the highest crystallinity observed at 5 mTorr, as evidenced by the sharp and intense (111) peak. Raman spectroscopy confirmed the predominance of Cu<sub>2</sub>O vibrational modes across all samples, with improved phase purity and crystallinity at 5 mTorr and 10 mTorr. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) showed that the films deposited at 5 mTorr and 10 mTorr exhibited densely packed, well-defined grains, while those at 1 mTorr and 15 mTorr displayed irregular or poorly defined morphologies. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirmed the presence of Cu(I) without significant secondary phases, with slight surface oxidation observed at higher pressures. Optical characterization revealed that transmittance increased with pressure, reaching ~90% in the NIR range at 15 mTorr. The optical band gap (<i>E</i><sub>g</sub>) values increased from 2.34 eV at 1 mTorr to 2.43 eV at 15 mTorr with higher process pressure. Cu<sub>2</sub>O films deposited at 5 mTorr and 10 mTorr exhibited an optimal balance between high transparency and band gap values. These findings highlight the critical role of process pressure in determining the properties of Cu<sub>2</sub>O thin films and identify 5 mTorr as the optimal deposition condition for achieving high-quality films with superior structural and optical performance. |
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| ISSN: | 2073-4352 |