Incidence angle dependence on structural and optical properties of UHV deposited copper nano layers

Copper nano-layers with different incident angles as vertical, 20 and 30 degrees, same 73.3 nm thicknesses, and same deposition rate, were deposited on glass substrates, at 373K temperature, under UHV conditions. Their nano-structures were determined by AFM and XRD methods. Their optical properties were measured by spectrophotometry in the spectral range of 300–1100 nm. Kramers–Kronig relations were used for the analysis of the reflectivity curves of Cu films to obtain the optical constants of the nano layers. Different incident angles show important effects on both structural and optical properties. The effective medium approximation was employed to establish the relation between structure zone model (SZM) and EMA predictions. By increasing incidence angle the separation of metallic grains increases, hence the volume fraction of voids increases. That is in agreement with AFM analysis. The predictions of Drude free-electron theory are compared with experimental results for dielectric functions of these nano layers. There is a good agreement between our optical results and Hangman's optical results for a bulk standard Cu sample.