Epitaxial electrodeposition of copper(I) oxide on single-crystal gold(100)

Epitaxial electrodeposition was used to crystallize a 0.5 mu m thick film o f Cu2O onto single-crystal Au(100) from an alkaline copper lactate solution at room temperature. The film showed strong out-of-plane and in-plane orie ntation, with no rotation of the respective crystallographic directions of the Cu2O overlayer relative to the Au substrate. The technique should be am enable to the deposition of other metal oxides, allowing the simple and ine xpensive selection of surfaces that show high catalytic activity or crystal lographic directions that have desired electrical or magnetic properties.