Visualization of nanocrystalline CuO in the grain boundaries of Cu2O thin films and effect on band bending and film resistivity
Jonas Deuermeier,
Hongjun Liu,
Laetitia Rapenne,
Tomás Calmeiro,
Gilles Renou,
Rodrigo Martins,
David Muñoz-Rojas,
Elvira Fortunato
Affiliations
Jonas Deuermeier
i3N/CENIMAT, Department of Materials Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa and CEMOP/UNINOVA, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
Hongjun Liu
Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP, LMGP, F-38000 Grenoble, France
Laetitia Rapenne
Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP, LMGP, F-38000 Grenoble, France
Tomás Calmeiro
i3N/CENIMAT, Department of Materials Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa and CEMOP/UNINOVA, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
Gilles Renou
Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, SIMAP, F-38042 Saint-Martin d’Hères, France
Rodrigo Martins
i3N/CENIMAT, Department of Materials Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa and CEMOP/UNINOVA, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
David Muñoz-Rojas
Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP, LMGP, F-38000 Grenoble, France
Elvira Fortunato
i3N/CENIMAT, Department of Materials Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa and CEMOP/UNINOVA, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
Direct evidence for the presence of a CuO structure in the grain boundaries of Cu2O thin films by chemical vapor deposition is provided by high resolution automated phase and orientation mapping (ASTAR), which was not detectable by classical transmission electron microscopy techniques. Conductive atomic force microscopy (CAFM) revealed that the CuO causes a local loss of current rectification at the Schottky barrier between the CAFM tip and Cu2O. The suppression of CuO formation at the Cu2O grain boundaries is identified as the key strategy for future device optimization.
