COPPER AND COPPER OXIDE THIN FILMS OBTAINED BY METALORGANIC MICROWAVE PLASMA CVD

Abstract
Microwave Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (MPECVD) is an innovative technique allowing the direct preparation, at low temperature, of different valence states of copper (Cu⁰, Cu^I, Cu^II). The precursor used is a volatile metalorganic one (copper acetylacetonate) with helium as a carrier gas. The precursor is then transported in a remote plasma of Ar, Ar/O₂ or Ar/N₂O gas at low pressure. A judicious choice of the process parameters - microwave power, substrate temperature and nature of the oxidant gas (N₂O or O₂)- allows to favour the formation of metallic copper, Cu₂O or CuO. Copper and its oxides have been deposited as thin films on silicon and magnesium oxide single crystals. The techniques used for the characterization of the as deposited polycrystalline films are X-ray diffraction, Auger Electron Spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy.