Effect of source to the substrate distance on thermoelectric properties of copper nitride thin films grown by thermal evaporation method

Abstract

This research is carried out to establish a link between thermoelectric properties of Copper Nitride (Cu3N) thin films with its growth parameters. A series of Cu3N thin films is synthesized by thermal evaporation technique on glass substrate using different source to substrate distances (21–27 cm) by vacuum tube furnace. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) were used to evaluate different structural, vibrational and morphological properties. A 25 cm source to substrate distance is found to be an optimal value for the highest Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity. It is further observed that the Cu3N phase was fully developed at this optimal source to substrate distance. These findings are justifiable because at optimal distance, nitrogen atoms are able to acquire required thermal energy which needed for bonding with Cu atoms.