Structural, Electrical, and Optical Properties of Reactively Sputtered Ag-Cu-O Films

Thin films of silver-copper-oxide were deposited on glass substrates by RF magnetron sputtering of Ag₈₀Cu₂₀ target under various oxygen partial pressures in the range 5×10−3–8×10−2 Pa. The effect of oxygen partial pressure on the crystallographic structure and surface morphology and electrical and optical properties was systematically studied and the results were reported. The oxygen content in the films was correlated with the oxygen partial pressure maintained during the growth of the films. The films which formed at low oxygen partial pressure of 5×10−3 Pa were mixed in phase of Ag₂Cu₂O₃ and Ag while those deposited at 2×10−2 Pa were grown with Ag₂Cu₂O₃ and Ag₂Cu₂O₄ phases. The films which formed at oxygen partial pressure of 2×10−2 Pa showed electrical resistivity of 2.3 Ωcm and optical band gap of 1.47 eV.