No abstract

This work describes the preparation of n-Cu 2 O layer by the electroless methods of boiling and immersion of copper plates in 0.001M CuSO 4 solution. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) have been used to characterize the oxide films deposited. XRD studies show, for the first time, that cuprous oxide (Cu 2 O) and cupric oxide (CuO) were deposited by the two methods. The dissolution of the oxide layer for boiling above the 60 minutes time was found to be due to the turbulent nature of the boiling solution. There was no dissolution of the oxide layer in the case of the immersion method. The thickness of the films deposited for 60 minutes boiling and that obtained by the immersion method at the solution pH of 9.83 are approximately 4.8 µm and 3.8µm, respectively. The resistivities of the oxide layers were found to be 75.64 Ωcm and 61.32 Ωcm, respectively. Annealing of the sample for 60 minutes by boiling, changes the mixed oxides (Cu 2 O-CuO) into the single phase Cu 2 O.