Modifying the nanocrystalline characteristics—structure, size, and surface states of copper oxide thin films by high-energy heavy-ion irradiation.

In the present study, x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, spectroscopic ellipsometry, photoluminescence, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy techniques were used to study the effect of 120 MeV [sup 107]Ag[sup 9+] ion irradiation on nanocrystalline Cu[sub 2]O thin films grown by the activated reactive evaporation technique. The influence of dense electronic excitations during ion irradiation on the structural and optical properties of the Cu[sub 2]O thin films was studied. Experimental results demonstrate that the phase and the size of nanocrystallites in the Cu[sub 2]O thin films as well as associated surface states can be tailored by controlling ion fluence. The Cu[sub 2]O higher symmetry cubic phase is observed to be quite stable under a higher temperature and irradiation-induced thermal spikes, which accompanies ion irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]