EFFECT OF POWER AND HYDROTHERMAL HEAT TREATMENT ON RF SPUTTERED COPPER OXIDE THIN FILMS

Nano-crystalline copper oxide films were deposited on quartz substrates by RF-magnetron sputtering in argon gas environment. The XRD patterns show Cu 4 O 3 phase for films deposited at 50 and 60[Formula: see text]W of RF power. The film deposited at 70[Formula: see text]W shows existence of Cu 4 O 3 and CuO phases, whereas film deposited at 100[Formula: see text]W of RF power consists of only CuO phase. Raman spectra and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) also confirm these results. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) shows morphological changes in the film as a function of RF power. The optical band gap estimated from the transmission spectra of the films are 2.3 and 1.7[Formula: see text]eV for Cu 4 O 3 and CuO phase, respectively. The hydrothermal heat treatment of the film leads to transformation of Cu 4 O 3 to CuO phase in the film.