Epitaxial growth of Cu₂O films on MgO by sputtering

The epitaxial growth of Cu₂O films is of significant interest for the unique potential they offer in the development of multilayer devices and superlattices. While fundamental studies may be carried out on epitaxial films prepared by any technique, the growth of artificially layered superlattices requires that films grow epitaxially during deposition. The present study examined the growth of Cu₂O on MgO substrates directly during deposition by sputtering. Although epitaxial thin films of Cu₂O could be produced, a mosaic structure was observed. The structure of the film may be related to the growth mechanism in which islands coalesce to form a continuous film.