Copper thin films were deposited by thermal evaporation on (100) silicon su
bstrates, either unetched or etched with hydrofluoric acid solutions of dif
ferent concentrations. The effect of the chemical cleaning procedure on the
texture and on the stress of the copper films was investigated by X-ray di
ffraction in the theta-2 theta and rocking curve modes. The texture of the
deposited copper layers on Si(100) depends greatly on the substrate surface
condition. The copper crystallites grow preferentially along the (111) fac
e when the silicon substrate is covered with native silicon oxide, whereas
they are preferentially oriented in the (100) direction when the silicon su
bstrate is etched with hydrofluoric acid in order to remove the oxide. In t
his latter case, the interfacial energy imposes the epitaxial growth mode o
f the copper layer, while in the former case, the lowest surface energy of
the (111) copper face, determines the growth mode. The stress appearing in
the copper layer is due to the epitaxial growth of the crystallites. (C) 20
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