Single crystal CuIn3Se5 epitaxial films have been synthesized on GaAs(001) by a hybrid sputtering and evaporation technique. The microstructure, microchemistry, and selected electrical and optical properties of the films have been investigated by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, cathodoluminescence, optical absorption and reflection, and four-point probe resistivity measurements. The results showed that the CuIn3Se5 crystals have an ordered point defect structure, a band gap of ≥1.18 eV, an optical absorption coefficient of about 15 000 cm−1 at a photon energy of 1.35 eV, and a film resistivity of ≳105 Ω cm. The results suggest the presence of band tails giving rise to subgap radiative recombination and absorption. Antiphase domain boundaries, stacking faults, and nanotwins were observed in the epitaxial layers and were reduced in number by rapid thermal annealing.

Indium tin oxide ͑ITO͒ thin films have been proposed as diffusion barriers for ultralarge scale integrated microelectronic devices. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction showed that in the Cu/ITO/Si film, the 10 nm thick nanocrystalline ITO film layer works effectively as a barrier. Transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, sheet resistance measurement, X-ray diffraction, and energy dispersive spectroscopy analyses revealed that ITO was found to be a good diffusion barrier against Cu at least up to 650°C. The failure temperature of ITO films diffusion barrier ͑10 nm͒ was 700°C. Our results show that ITO film can be considered as diffusion barriers for Cu metallization.

Cobalt nitride thin films could be prepared by employing a direct current reactive sputtering deposition on (100) silicon substrates in mixtures of fixed Ar (4×10−1 Pa) and N2 at various partial pressures. The CoxN thin films could be tailored by appropriately controlling the partial pressure of the reactive nitrogen. With adequately increasing nitrogen to argon partial pressure, a series of sequence phase formation from α-Co, Co4N, Co3N, Co2N, and CoN could be observed. The phase transition sequence was accompanied by a substantial refinement and improvement of the films’ grain structure. Rapid thermal annealing of cobalt nitride thin films exhibited a stepwise decomposition via the dissociating of Co4N→Co3N+β-Co(N), Co3N→Co2N+β-Co(N), and Co2N→CoN+β-Co(N) with increasing the elevated temperature. Phase formation, thermal decomposition, electrical resistivity, and microstructure of reactive sputtered cobalt nitride films were discussed in this study.

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