Electronic structure of Cu3N films studied by soft x-ray spectroscopy

• Soft x- ray emission spectroscopy was used to characterize the electronic structure of seven copper nitride films, one synthesized with atomic layer deposition ( ALD) and six grown with chemical vapor deposition ( CVD) at different preparation temperatures. Interpretation of the x- ray emission spectra was supported by calculations of the electronic structure for bulk pure Cu3N and Cu3N with: an excess of Cu atoms, oxygen or carbon impurities, and N vacancies. The calculations are shown to describe the experimental spectra quite well. Analysis of the x- ray spectra suggests that films grown in copper rich environments and above a cut- off temperature of approximately 360 degrees C have a growing fraction of copper enriched areas, while films prepared below this temperature do not have these areas with excess copper.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences (hsv//eng)

Keyword

nitride thin-films

total-energy calculations

augmented-wave method

copper nitride

deposition

growth

Physics

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)