Role of Ar/O2 mixture on structural, compositional and optical properties of thin copper oxide films deposited by DC magnetron sputtering

In this study, the effect of oxygen content on a thin copper oxide layer deposited on BK7 and steel substrates by DC magnetron sputtering were investigated. Argon as working gas with impurity of 99.9% and various oxygen ratios were used to sputter a pure Cu cathode target in a cylindrical geometry. The produced samples were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and spectrophotometry techniques. The films thickness was measured by profilometer facility. The results show that by increasing oxygen content in the working gas the sputtering rate reduces. Moreover, the type of oxide phase (Cu2O or CuO) in the synthesized layer and consequently its optical properties dramatically depend on Ar/O2 ratio in the working gas.