P-type strontium–copper mixed oxide deposited by e-beam evaporation

Abstract

P-type thin films of strontium–copper mixed oxide have been deposited by e-beam evaporation technique on glass and quartz substrates starting from SrCu 2O 2 powders. A study of optical, electrical and structural properties was performed on the thin films, varying deposition parameters such as the substrate temperature and the oxygen partial pressure. For the first time, polycrystalline films of SrCu 2O 2 were obtained using e-beam evaporation in O 2 atmosphere at relatively low temperature (350 °C) with transparency of over 60% in the visible light range and a high optical transmittance in near-infrared region. The optical band gap of thin film was estimated to be ∼3.12 eV. Seebeck and Hall effects measurements confirmed the p-type nature of semiconductors and conductivity as high as 5.3×10 −2 S/cm for non-intentionally doped materials was measured. Hole concentration and mobility at room temperature were 1.5×10 17 cm −3 and 2.2 cm 2/Vs, respectively. X-Ray diffraction measurements revealed a polycrystalline structure of the films.