Reduction of copper oxide thin films with hydrogen plasma generated by a dielectric-barrier glow discharge

The reduction behavior of sputtered thin Cu2O films with hydrogen plasma ge nerated by a dielectric-barrier glow discharge was investigated by means of surface characterization and hydrogen plasma diagnosis using the vacuum ul traviolet (VUV) line absorption technique. The reduction model was derived by assuming that the diffusion of atomic hydrogen in the reduced layer is t he rate-determining step, This reduction model provides a good approximatio n of the Cu2O reduction process. The surface hydrogen concentration estimat ed from this model is higher by an order of 10(5)-10(6) than the hydrogen a tom concentration in the plasma phase measured by means of the plasma diagn osis. It is verified that the number of hydrogen atoms transported onto the solid surface satisfactorily agrees with that consumed in the Cu2O layer.