The effect of energetic oxygen atoms on the formation of CuO films by magnetron sputtering

The chemical composition of thin copper oxide films was studied by X-ray ph otoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The films were obtained by magnetron sputte ring of copper metal, which was simultaneously oxidized by atomic oxygen. I t was demonstrated that a high rate of oxidation in molecular oxygen is ach ieved only under relatively low rates of film growth (v < 100 Angstrom/min) . However, the growth rate of cupric oxide can be drastically increased to v > 750 Angstrom/min in a flow of accelerated oxygen atoms. High growth rat es are necessary to substantially cut the thermal budget and reduce the dif fuseness of heterofunctions in fabricating layered structures containing co pper oxide. (C) 2000 MAIK "Nauka/Interperiodica".