N-type Carrier Concentration Research Articles

Nanostructured Ferecrystal Intergrowths with TaSe2 Unveiled High Thermoelectric Performance in n-Type SnSe.

Ferecrystals, a distinctive class of misfit layered compounds, hold significant promise in manipulating the phonon transport owing to their two-dimensional (2D) natural superlattice-type structure and turbostratic (rotational) disorder present between the constituent layers. Integrating these 2D intergrowth structures as nanodomains embedded in a bulk thermoelectric matrix is a formidable challenge in synthetic chemistry, yet offers groundbreaking opportunities for efficient thermoelectrics. Here, we have achieved an exceptionally high thermoelectric figure of merit, zT ∼ 2.2, at 823 K in n-type Ta and Br-codoped SnSe, by successfully incorporating [(SnSe)1.15]7(TaSe2)1 ferecrystals with [110] SnSe//[100] TaSe2 orientation, as nanostructures with modulations in few nm in bulk SnSe solid-state matrix. While the presence of ferecrystal nanostructures induces strong scattering of heat-carrying phonons resulting in an ultralow lattice thermal conductivity (κL) of ∼0.18 W m-1 K-1 at 773 K, the Ta and Br codoping strategy increases the concentration of n-type charge carriers for enhanced electrical conductivity. Our approach provides a new pathway for damping the phonon transport and enhancing the thermoelectric performance in 2D layered materials.

EFFECT OF SILVER DOPING ON IRON OXIDE ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES

Iron silver oxide (Agx[Formula: see text]O3; [Formula: see text]) structure for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting was grown by RF–DC co-sputtering of an iron–silver target in argon/oxygen plasma mixtures at 300°C, followed by thermal annealing at 560°C. The chemical composition and structure of the deposited film can be tuned by controlling the metal doping and the annealing temperature. The thermal treatment extensively improves the PEC water-splitting performances of the films. XRD patterns of AgxFe[Formula: see text]O3 shown in the figure can be indexed to the hexagonal structure of silver oxide and the rhombohedral structure of hematite and new X-ray Diffraction (XRD) peaks of AgxFe[Formula: see text]O3 structure. The annealing and doping process seems to cause a serious change in the crystal structure of the thin film, it showed a serious change in its electrical properties. The electrical parameters of resistance for thin films were measured using the Hall measurement method at room temperature. With Hall measurements, the n-type carrier concentration of the Fe2O3 structure was calculated, and it was observed that its resistance was 1[Formula: see text]M[Formula: see text]. Likewise, it was observed that AgxFe[Formula: see text]O3 exhibited an n-type carrier concentration, and its resistance was calculated to be 0.5[Formula: see text]M[Formula: see text]. The conductivity change is based on silver doping. The doping process seems to cause a change in the bandgap of the thin film, it showed a change in its optical properties. The film’s optical absorption was measured by UV–Vis photo spectroscopy. Subsequently, the structural and topographic properties of AgxFe[Formula: see text]O3 structures were investigated by high-precision characterization devices.

Studies on B-doping during low-temperature growth of nc-Ge thin films via PECVD to mitigate unwanted conduction characteristics from the post-deposition oxygen absorption

Post-deposition O absorption is a common issue in low-temperature grown nc-Ge films, that makes the material unstable and induces high n-type electrical conductivity ∼10−2 S cm−1. An attempt has been made to mitigate the oxygen absorption issue through B doping of the nc-Ge thin film network at a low deposition temperature of ∼220 °C, employing a conventional capacitively coupled PECVD. At a B2H6 flow rate of 3.0 sccm, the incorporation of a restricted quantity of B maintains a narrow band gap of ∼1.04 eV, significantly low conductivity of ∼6.76 ×10−7 S cm−1, activation energy ∼398 meV, and photosensitivity of 6.0. Spectroscopic studies indicated that B doping facilitated reduced O-intake in the nc-Ge matrix, possibly via passivating the grain boundary defects and dangling bonds in the amorphous matrix and inducing the preferential absorption of O atoms in the Ge–O2 configuration compared to its Ge–Ox (x < 2) counterpart. The diminished O-induced carriers and the supplied acceptor levels by the B dopants compensate for the inherent n-type carrier concentration. However, at higher B2H6 flow rates, significant B incorporation in the film matrix introduces numerous defects, degrading the crystallinity, despite increasing its p-type conductivity to 2.16 ×10−5 S cm−1 and maintaining a narrow band gap. Organized switching in the type of conductivity from the n-type to p-type ensues via gradually rising the B-dopants within the nc-Ge thin film network during its growth, which deserves attention for specific device applications.

Enabling Oxidation Protection and Carrier-Type Switching for Bismuth Telluride Nanoribbons via in Situ Organic Molecule Coating.

Thermoelectric materials with high electrical conductivity and low thermal conductivity (e.g., Bi2Te3) can efficiently convert waste heat into electricity; however, in spite of favorable theoretical predictions, individual Bi2Te3 nanostructures tend to perform less efficiently than bulk Bi2Te3. We report a greater-than-order-of-magnitude enhancement in the thermoelectric properties of suspended Bi2Te3 nanoribbons, coated in situ to form a Bi2Te3/F4-TCNQ core-shell nanoribbon without oxidizing the core-shell interface. The shell serves as an oxidation barrier but also directly functions as a strong electron acceptor and p-type carrier donor, switching the majority carriers from a dominant n-type carrier concentration (∼1021 cm-3) to a dominant p-type carrier concentration (∼1020 cm-3). Compared to uncoated Bi2Te3 nanoribbons, our Bi2Te3/F4-TCNQ core-shell nanoribbon demonstrates an effective chemical potential dramatically shifted toward the valence band (by 300-640 meV), robustly increased Seebeck coefficient (∼6× at 250 K), and improved thermoelectric performance (10-20× at 250 K).

Magnetic and electrical transport properties of Cu0.5Ni0.5Fe2O4 ferrite synthesized by plasma arc discharge process

In this study, the plasma arc discharge process was employed to synthesize nanocrystalline Cu0.5Ni0.5Fe2O4 ferrite powders. A spinel-type ferrite structure has been formed successfully, exhibiting a saturation magnetization of 87 emu g−1 and a coercivity of 26 Oe. The investigation involved studying the frequency and temperature dependence of dielectric permittivity, dielectric loss, and DC/AC conductivity over a broad frequency range (1 kHz–1 MHz) in a temperature range of 298 K–403 K. The highest value of the dielectric contestant (4746) is observed at a frequency of 1 kHz and temperature of 313 K. A maximum in the DC conductivity is observed at 403 K, which can be ascribed to the combined effects of thermally activated hopping and an increase in the concentration of both n-type and p-type charge carriers at higher temperatures.

Structural, Optical, and Electrical Properties of Hafnium-Aluminum-Zinc-Oxide Films Grown by Atomic Layer Deposition for TCO Applications.

ZnO is a widely studied material that exhibits versatile doping possibilities. Most research presents singly doped ZnO, leaving the potential of codoping unexplored. Within this study, hafnium-aluminum codoped zinc oxide (HAZO) thin films were grown on a glass substrate using the atomic layer deposition technique at 200 °C. A comprehensive analysis of the surface morphology and electrical and optical properties of the samples was conducted for varying the Al/Hf doping ratio. X-ray diffraction studies showed that the obtained films are polycrystalline, exhibiting a preferential growth direction along the (1 0 0) plane without any detectable precipitates. Moreover, the electrical measurements of HAZO films revealed that they exhibit lower resistivity (∼9.5 × 10-4 Ωcm) than the commonly used aluminum zinc oxide films (AZO). This improvement can be primarily attributed to the promotion of the n-type carrier concentration to 4.45 × 1020 cm-3 while maintaining a mobility value equal to 14.7 cm2/Vs. The doping also influences the optical properties of the material by widening the band gap and changing the refractive index, as observed by spectroscopy and ellipsometry studies. These findings highlight the potential of proposed HAZO thin films for future applications in electronic devices utilizing transparent conducting oxides.

Reverse Sensing Kinetics investigation with STM of Deep-UV triggered TiO2/WO3 NCs for Isoprene detection

Traditional diagnostic technologies in the health sector are either bulky or expensive and invasive; hence, the breath analyzer era emerged, wherein it can be a single sensor for a single illness diagnosis or a multi-sensor array to diagnose a single disease with numerous biomarkers. Isoprene, commonly known as a biomarker for various diseases, mainly for oxidative stress/cholesterol abnormalities, is targeted in this study. A drop-casted layer of microwave-treated Titanium dioxide/Tungsten oxide (TiO 2/WO 3) nanocomposites (NCs) optically activated in the deep UV (λ-300nm) range is employed for the detection of Isoprene. An optimised moderately doped TiO 2/WO 3 NCs calibrated under 20 to 80 ppb of isoprene is considered from our previous work and thoroughly investigated for its sensing pattern discrepancy under optical activation. Our study aims to comprehend the reverse sensing pattern observed during optical activation of the sensing layer utilizing a precision scanning tunnelling microscope (STM) integrated with a deep-UV LED of λ-300nm. STM experiments confirm that the observed reverse sensing pattern, which contradicts the normal mode, is driven by an excess photogenerated surface n-type carrier concentration of 8.785 × 1015 cm −3.

Br-doped n-type SnS single crystals with carrier concentrations suitable for homojunction solar cells

SnS has attracted considerable attention as a semiconductor material for use in thin-film solar cells. In particular, fabricating a SnS homojunction is essential for achieving highly efficient solar cells. However, controlling the n-type SnS carrier concentration to the optimum level of 1015–1016 cm−3 is currently challenging. Herein, we report a doping strategy for n-type SnS and the fabrication of n-type single crystals with a carrier concentration of ∼1016 cm−3 using Br as the dopant. Br-doped single crystals were grown using SnBr2 as the flux, while Cl-doped single crystals were grown as a reference using the same method. Cl-doped SnS exhibited a carrier concentration of ∼1018 cm−3, whereas Br-doped SnS realized a concentration of 3.2 × 1016 cm−3. The Br-doped crystals exhibited thermal-activation-type behavior based on the temperature dependence of the carrier concentration, with an activation energy of 52 meV determined. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that Br- and Cl-doped SnS exhibit Fermi levels at 0.22 and 0.15 eV relative to the bottom of the conduction band, respectively. Furthermore, the measured electrical and electronic properties suggested that Br-doped SnS has a lower Fermi level than Cl-doped SnS. These results indicate that Br-doped SnS is suitable for forming n-layers in SnS homojunction solar cells.

Electrical conductivity and corrosion resistance of Mo/Ti/Mn-based composite conversion films on AZ91D magnesium alloy

In this reported study, conductive composite conversion films on an AZ91D magnesium alloy were prepared by adding Ga3+ to a deposition solution that contained molybdenum, titanium and manganese ions. The Ga3+ significantly improved the conductivity and corrosion resistance of the resulting films. The electrical contact resistance (ECR) of the Molybdenum/Titanium/Manganese (MTM) film decreased from 0.436 Ω/in2 to 0.106 Ω/in2 at 200 psi when Ga3+ was added to form the Molybdenum-Titanium-Manganese-Gallium (MTMG) film. In addition, the polarization resistance of the Ga3+ amended film increased from 633.1 Ω·cm2 to 1930.835 Ω·cm2, MTMG showed obvious passivation behavior. The Ga3+ doping appeared to increase the carrier concentration and narrow the band gap of the semiconductor film. The N-type semiconductor carrier concentration increased from 2.11 × 1019 cm−3 to 7.052 × 1019 cm−3 in the MTMG film vs the MTM film. The P-type semiconductor carrier concentration in the MTMG film increased from 2.727 × 1018 cm−3 to 3.480 × 1019 cm−3 compared to the MTM film. The MTM band gap decreased from 2.916 eV to 2.714 eV in the MTMG film, which was attributed to the cross-doping of Ga3+ with transition metals in the MTMG material. The MTMG film had a three-layer structure, which preferentially formed a thin film on the β-phase and subsequently grew layer by layer.

Comparison of the Material Quality of AlxIn1-xN (x-0-0.50) Films Deposited on Si(100) and Si(111) at Low Temperature by Reactive RF Sputtering.

AlxIn1−xN ternary semiconductors have attracted much interest for application in photovoltaic devices. Here, we compare the material quality of AlxIn1−xN layers deposited on Si with different crystallographic orientations, (100) and (111), via radio-frequency (RF) sputtering. To modulate their Al content, the Al RF power was varied from 0 to 225 W, whereas the In RF power and deposition temperature were fixed at 30 W and 300 °C, respectively. X-ray diffraction measurements reveal a c-axis-oriented wurtzite structure with no phase separation regardless of the Al content (x = 0–0.50), which increases with the Al power supply. The surface morphology of the AlxIn1−xN layers improves with increasing Al content (the root-mean-square roughness decreases from ≈12 to 2.5 nm), and it is similar for samples grown on both Si substrates. The amorphous layer (~2.5 nm thick) found at the interface with the substrates explains the weak influence of their orientation on the properties of the AlxIn1−xN films. Simultaneously grown AlxIn1−xN-on-sapphire samples point to a residual n-type carrier concentration in the 1020–1021 cm−3 range. The optical band gap energy of these layers evolves from 1.75 to 2.56 eV with the increase in the Al. PL measurements of AlxIn1−xN show a blue shift in the peak emission when adding the Al, as expected. We also observe an increase in the FWHM of the main peak and a decrease in the integrated emission with the Al content in room-temperature PL measurements. In general, the material quality of the AlxIn1-xN films on Si is similar for both crystallographic orientations.

Modular Nanostructures Facilitate Low Thermal Conductivity and Ultra-High Thermoelectric Performance in n-Type SnSe.

Single crystals of SnSe have gained considerable attention in thermoelectrics due to their unprecedented thermoelectric performance. However, polycrystalline SnSe is more favorable for practical applications due to its facile chemical synthesis procedure, processability, and scalability. Though the thermoelectric figure of merit (zT) of p-type bulk SnSe polycrystals has reached >2.5, zT of n-type counterpart is still lower and lies around ≈1.5. Herein, record high zT of 2.0 in n-type polycrystalline SnSe0.92 + x mol% MoCl5 (x= 0-3) samples is reported, when measured parallel to the spark plasma sintering pressing direction due to the simultaneous optimization of n-type carrier concentration and enhanced phonon scattering by incorporating modular nano-heterostructures in SnSe matrix. Modular nanostructures of layered intergrowth [(SnSe)1.05 ]m (MoSe2 )n like compounds embedded in SnSe matrix scatters the phonons significantly leading to an ultra-low lattice thermal conductivity (κlat ) of ≈0.26W m-1 K-1 at 798 K in SnSe0.92 + 3 mol% MoCl5 . The 2D layered modular intergrowth compound resembles the nano-heterostructure and their periodicity of 1.2-2.6nm in the SnSe matrix matches the phonon mean free path of SnSe, thereby blocking the heat carrying phonons, which result in low κlat and ultra-high thermoelectric performance in n-type SnSe.

A first-principles study on the electrical conductivity of Ag2S1−xSex (x = 0, 0.25, 0.5): Electron–phonon coupling

The development of flexible thermoelectric devices is gradually attracting increasing attention, particularly in the field of material design. In this study, we use first-principles calculations combined with Boltzmann equations to study the electronic and transport properties of Ag2S1−xSex, a key material with many important properties and extraordinary ductility, as well as a wide range of thermoelectric applications. The effect of Se alloying on the electronic structure of Ag2S and defect formation is investigated, and the role of alloying in increasing the n-type carrier concentration is discussed. The electron–phonon coupling approximation is used to reproduce the experimentally observed transport properties reasonably well, which shows that this scattering model is suitable for predicting the transport properties of semiconductors in thermoelectric applications.

Exploring the defect equilibrium and charge transport in electrode material La0.5Sr0.5Fe0.9Mo0.1O3-δ.

Perovskite-type La0.5Sr0.5Fe0.9Mo0.1O3-δ synthesized via glycine nitrate combustion and sintered at 1350 °C was found to have an orthorhombic lattice, which transforms upon heating into a rhombohedral and then a cubic one. The oxygen content and electrical conductivity in this oxide were measured in the range of oxygen partial pressures from 10-20 to 0.5 atm at 750-950 °C by coulometric titration and four-probe dc techniques, respectively. The oxygen content data were used to model the defect equilibrium in the oxide. Oxidation, charge disproportionation and electron exchange reactions between iron and molybdenum were assumed by the model to be involved in the formation of defects. The experimental data were well approximated with the model and the concentrations of charge carriers in La0.5Sr0.5Fe0.9Mo0.1O3-δ were determined to be used for the electrical conductivity analysis. The average mobility of oxygen ions and n- and p-type charge carriers was determined to be about 10-5, 0.007, and 0.07 cm2 V-1 s-1 with an activation energy of 0.80 ± 0.02, 0.34 ± 0.01, and 0.23 ± 0.01 eV, respectively. Comparison with La0.5Sr0.5FeO3-δ shows that 10% Mo substitution provides a substantial increase in both the concentration and mobility of n-type carriers, which results in an almost threefold increase in electron conductivity under reducing conditions, while maintaining a high level of ionic conductivity.

Excellent thermoelectric performances of the SiSe2 monolayer and layered bulk

The excellent thermoelectric performance of the SiSe2 monolayer and layered bulk is identified by employing the density functional theory and the semi-classical Boltzmann transport theory. The geometrical structures of the SiSe2 monolayer and bulk are fully relaxed, and the dynamic and thermal stabilities have been confirmed through phonon dispersions and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. By introducing a method to avoid the vacuum space of the supercell influence on the volume of the monolayer, we have obtained the lattice thermal conductivity, the Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity, power factor, and electron thermal conductivity for both the monolayer and the bulk. The ZT relative to temperature and carrier concentration are obtained to evaluate the thermoelectric performance. For the SiSe2 monolayer, the maximum ZT can reach 4.84 at 700 K with the p-type carrier concentration of 9.60 × 1019 cm−3, while for the SiSe2 bulk, the maximum ZT can also attain 4.11 at 700 K with the n-type carrier concentration of 2.38 × 1019 cm−3 . Therefore, both the SiSe2 monolayer and bulk are favorable candidates for thermoelectric applications. The mechanism for the superior thermoelectric properties is also examined.

Regulation of electronic and phonon transports of AgBiSe2-based solid solutions by entropy engineering

AgBiSe2 is a promising thermoelectric (TE) candidate because of its intrinsically low thermal conductivity (κ = 0.4–0.5 W K−1 m−1 at ∼770 K) and optimal n-type carrier concentration (5.85 × 1018 cm−3 at 300 K). However, its TE figure of merit (ZT) is still low (0.3 at ∼770 K). Therefore, it is necessary to further improve its ZT. In this work, the solid solutions (AgBiSe2)1−x(Ag2Te)x (x = 0–0.125) have been designed through simple alloying Ag2Te inspired by the entropy engineering concept, and the TE performance has been further regulated. The analyses show that the exothermic effects related to α/β and β/γ phase transitions weaken, and the transition temperature of β/γ decreases as the Ag2Te content increases, which indicates the stabilization of the cubic γ-phase at high temperatures. Aside from that, the power factor (PF) enhances from 2.91 μW/cm K2 (x = 0) to 3.49 μW/cm K2 (x = 0.075), and at the same time, the lattice thermal conductivity reduces from 0.3 W K−1 m−1 to 0.1 W K−1 m−1 at ∼760 K. This directly improves the TE performance with the highest ZT value of 1.0, which is almost double that of the pristine AgBiSe2. The result suggests that the entropy engineering is a very effective screening method in thermoelectrics.

Structural and electrical characterisation of PtS from H2S-converted Pt

A manufacturing-compatible 300 mm chamber reactor for atomic layer deposition or chemical vapour deposition, and pre-fitted with H2/H2S gases that can be uniformly delivered to the wafer surface, is employed to thermally convert Pt to PtS in a H2/H2S gaseous atmosphere for 7 hours at a chamber temperature of 550 °C. Prior to conversion, platinum layers 5 nm thick are uniformly deposited by electron beam evaporation onto ∼30 nm of amorphous aluminium sesquioxide deposited by atomic layer deposition on, (a) p-type silicon, and (b) c-plane sapphire. Structural characterisation is performed by high-resolution cross-sectional transmission-electron microscopy, scanning-electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy, confirming the formation of continuous films of polycrystalline platinum monosulfide (PtS) with a ∼15 nm thickness. Electrical characterisation is performed by 4-point resistivity and Hall-effect transport measurements on van der Pauw structures of PtS on aluminium sesquioxide on c-plane sapphire, and by back-gate junctionless MOSFET device measurements for PtS on aluminium sesquioxide on p-type silicon, showing that PtS behaves as a semiconductor with a mobility of ∼16 cm2/V.s and with an n-type carrier concentration of ∼1.2 × 1015 cm−3. Advanced commercial-grade Sentaurus simulations, alongside density-functional theory calculations, agree well with the experimental observations and suggest a large bandgap of ∼1.58 eV may be possible that could lead to a low off-current and a high Ion/Ioff ratio, suggesting that PtS may be an advanced material candidate for future device integration with CMOS and for 3D integration applications in Beyond-CMOS and More-than-Moore technologies.

Enhancing thermoelectric performance of BaMg2-based compounds by forming solid solutions and biaxial strain

Two strategies were proposed to optimize the thermoelectric performance of BaMg2(Bi,Sb) through a solid solution method and to tune the crystal field splitting energy of orbital by using first principles calculation and Boltzmann transport theory. The increase in Sb content leads to decreased weight carrier mobility due to the changes in the electronic structure. The lattice thermal conductivity for BaMg2SbBi can be as low as 0.45 W m−1K−1, which is lower than those of other compounds. The highest ZT of ∼0.88 for BaMg2SbBi has been obtained at 750 K with n-type doping carrier concentration of −8.28 × 1018 cm−3, indicating that reaching the optimal Sb content (i.e. BaMg2SbBi) can make a significant contribution to the maximization of the ZT of n-type BaMg2(Bi,Sb) solid solutions. Adjusting the crystal field splitting energy increases the effective mass of density of states, which causes the change in power factor (PF) value and achieves a maximum PF value. When the tensile strain for BaMg2Bi2, BaMg2SbBi, and BaMg2Sb2 is 2%, 2%, and 6%, the ZT value is significantly improved, respectively. Therefore, minimizing crystal field splitting energy is also effective in the optimization of the ZT value.

Understanding of impact of carbon doping on background carrier conduction in GaN* *Project partially supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2017YFB0402800), the Key Research and Development Program of Guangdong Province, China (Grant No. 2020B010174003), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. U1601210), and the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province, China

The impact of carbon doping on the background carrier conduction in GaN has been investigated. It is found that the incorporation of carbon can effectively suppress the n-type background carrier concentration as expected. Moreover, from the fitting of the temperature-dependent carrier concentration and mobility, it is observed that high nitrogen–vacancy (VN) dominates the background carrier at room temperature which consequently results in n-type conduction. The doping agent (carbon atom) occupies the nitrogen site of GaN and forms CN deep acceptor as revealed from photoluminescence. Besides, a relatively low hole concentration is ionized at room temperature which was insufficient for the compensation of n-type background carriers. Therefore, we concluded that this background carrier concentration can be suppressed by carbon doping, which substitutes the N site of GaN and finally decreases the VN.

High n-type conductivity and carrier concentration in Si-implanted homoepitaxial AlN

We demonstrate Si-implanted AlN with high conductivity (&amp;gt;1 Ω−1 cm−1) and high carrier concentration (5 × 1018 cm−3). This was enabled by Si implantation into AlN with a low threading dislocation density (TDD) (&amp;lt;103 cm−2), a non-equilibrium damage recovery and dopant activation annealing process, and in situ suppression of self-compensation during the annealing. Low TDD and active suppression of VAl-nSiAl complexes via defect quasi Fermi level control enabled low compensation, while low-temperature, non-equilibrium annealing maintained the desired shallow donor state with an ionization energy of ∼70 meV. The realized n-type conductivity and carrier concentration are over one order of magnitude higher than that reported thus far and present a major technological breakthrough in doping of AlN.

Transport properties of n-type Cux-TiyCz thin film semiconductor at different Cu/TiC ratios

Cu-TiC thin films possess a unique combination of optical and electrical properties. In this work, Cux-TiyCz thin film is deposited on Si (1 0 0) substrate by DC magnetron sputtering process. The Hall results revealed n-type conductivity and carrier concentration in the order of 1018 m−3, when Cu/TiC atomic percentage ratio (r) is varied between 2.14 and 7.5. The optical band-gap varies between 2.67 and 1.97 eV at different values of r. The film exhibits minimum Hall mobility (240 cm2/Vs)) and electrical resistivity (9.3 Ω.m) at an optimum ratio (r ∼ 5) in room temperature. The increasing crystallite size as a function of the Cu/TiC ratio is observed in the polycrystalline films with Cu and TiC phases. The average particle size has also increased in nanometre dimensions at r ∼ 5. The stoichiometric value close to Cu-TiC3 has culminated in future coating and electronic design applications.