Reactive sputtering: A method to modify the metallic ratio in the novel silver-copper oxides

Composite silver-copper targets were sputtered for the first time in various reactive Ar-O₂ mixtures to deposit the novel silver-copper oxides on glass substrates. The effect of two deposition parameters (oxygen flow rate and target composition) on the films structure was investigated. Depending on these two deposition parameters, three types of silver-copper oxides were synthesised using the reactive sputtering process: Ag_xCu_2−xO, Ag_xCu_4−xO₃ and Ag_1−xCu_1+xO₂. Although conventional processes led to the formation of silver-copper oxides with stoichiometric Cu/Ag atomic ratio, it was demonstrated that the reactive sputtering process was suitable to modify this ratio in the deposited films. Finally, the optical and electrical properties of the silver-copper oxides were investigated and compared to that of copper oxides exhibiting similar structures.