Effects of substantial atomic-oxygen migration across silver − oxide interfaces during silver growth

Abstract

The optimization of Ag wetting on oxides is essential to facilitate the synthesis of ultrathin Ag layers with ultralow electrical and optical losses. However, the primary challenge of increasing the Ag wetting on oxides is the strong cohesion and weak adhesion of Ag with chemically heterogeneous oxide substrates. In the present study, it was observed that the dissolution of excess atomic oxygen in ZnO lattices prior to Ag deposition induced the pronounced migration of atomic oxygen across the Ag − ZnO interface and subsequent incorporation into Ag lattices. The substantial intermixing of atomic oxygen in the Ag − ZnO matrices contributed to a decrease in the free energy at the interface, thereby weakening the driving force for the agglomeration of Ag nanoparticles during coalescence. This resulted in an increase in the adhesion and wetting of Ag geometries on the ZnO surfaces. These findings were confirmed based on the results of detailed experimental investigations in conjunction with numerical predictions. These outcomes elucidated the unconventional oxygen spillover dynamics from atomic oxygen-excess oxide surfaces. The findings obtained in the present study refute the existing convictions that the intermixing of oxygen at Ag − oxide interfaces is limited by weak charge transfer.