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The Atomic, Electronic and Defect Structure of the Dynamically Formed Cu2O/Cu Interfaces

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Xuetian Han and
Judith C. Yang
Xuetian Han
Affiliation:
xuh3@pitt.edu, University of Pittsburgh, Mechinical Engineering and Materials Science, 848 Benedum Hall, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, United States, 4126249753, 4126248069
Judith C. Yang
Affiliation:
JYang@engr.pitt.edu, University of Pittsburgh, Mechinical Engineering and Materials Science, 848 Benedum Hall, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, United States
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Abstract

To gain fundamental insights into metal oxidation, the dynamically formed Cu/Cu2O interface was investigated by cross-sectional TEM (Transmission Electron Microscopy) methods. Copper (001) films were oxidized in oxygen within a UHV chamber to create Cu2O islands that formed epitaxially with respect to the Cu film. The cross-sectional Cu2O/Cu TEM sample was prepared by dual beam (DB) focused ion beam (FIB) instrument and the interface was probed by high-resolution TEM (HREM) and electron energy loss spectrum (EELS). It is found that Cu2O {110} layer distance significantly decreases from the interface area to the bulk Cu2O region, which is about 3∼4 unit cell thickness in Cu2O side; while the {100Cu2O layer distance increases with increasing distance from the interface region. The chemical Cu/Cu2O interface thickness has been measured with EELS analysis, which is about 2nm where the oxidation state of Cu gradually changes from Cu0 to Cu+1. This transition region indicates the area where Cu/Cu2O interface exists and suggests the existence of metastable Cu oxides. The Cu2O island growth mechanism of predominantly anion interfacial diffusion at the initial stage oxidation has been proposed.

Keywords

Cuoxidationtransmission electron microscopy (TEM)

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