Electronic structure of Cu3N films studied by soft x-ray spectroscopy

Abstract

Soft x-ray emission spectroscopy was used to characterize the electronic structure of sevencopper nitride films, one synthesized with atomic layer deposition (ALD) and six grown withchemical vapor deposition (CVD) at different preparation temperatures. Interpretation of thex-ray emission spectra was supported by calculations of the electronic structure for bulk pureCu3N and Cu3N with: an excess of Cu atoms, oxygen or carbon impurities, and N vacancies. The calculations areshown to describe the experimental spectra quite well. Analysis of the x-ray spectra suggeststhat films grown in copper rich environments and above a cut-off temperature of approximately360 °C have a growing fraction of copper enriched areas, while films prepared below thistemperature do not have these areas with excess copper.