Effect of oxygen content on structural and optical properties of single Cu2O film by reactive magnetron sputtering method

Cuprous oxide (Cu₂O) thin films have been deposited on glass substrate by reactive magnetron sputtering method using Cu target and argon oxygen gas atmosphere. Effect of oxygen flow rate on structural and optical properties of thin films has been discussed. The results of X-ray diffraction, ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry and atomic force micrograph indicated that the condition window for single Cu₂O phase was about 3.8 to 4.4 cm³/min, and the optimum oxygen flow rate was 4.2 cm³/min. The optical band gap E _g of Cu₂O film was determined by using the data of transmittance versus wavelength, and slightly decreased from 2.46 to 2.40 eV with the increase of oxygen flow rate from 3.8 to 4.4 cm³/min. The Cu₂O film formed at the oxygen flow rate of 4.2 cm³/min had an optical band gap of 2.43 eV.