Reactive DC magnetron deposition of copper nitride films for write-once optical recording

Abstract

Copper nitride (Cu x N) films were prepared on glass slides by reactive direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering under different nitrogen flow rates and substrate temperature, respectively. X-ray diffraction and reflectance spectra were employed to characterize the films. The Cu x N films can completely decompose through heat treatment at temperature as low as 160 °C. The reflectance spectra of the as-deposited films are quite different from that of the decomposed films in a wide wavelength range from UV to infrared. Its relatively low decomposition temperature and large reflectance change before and after decomposition makes it a potential write-once optical recording medium.