Flat-surface-assisted and self-regulated oxidation resistance of Cu(111)

Su Jae Kim, Yong In Kim, Bipin Lamichhane, Young-Hoon Kim, Yousil Lee, Chae Ryong Cho, Miyeon Cheon, Jong Chan Kim, Hu Young Jeong, Taewoo Ha, Jungdae Kim, Young Hee Lee, Seong-Gon Kim (), Young-Min Kim () and Se-Young Jeong ()
Additional contact information
Su Jae Kim: Pusan National University
Yong In Kim: Sungkyunkwan University
Bipin Lamichhane: Mississippi State University
Young-Hoon Kim: Sungkyunkwan University
Yousil Lee: Pusan National University
Chae Ryong Cho: Pusan National University
Miyeon Cheon: Pusan National University
Jong Chan Kim: Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology
Hu Young Jeong: Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology
Taewoo Ha: Sungkyunkwan University
Jungdae Kim: University of Ulsan
Young Hee Lee: Sungkyunkwan University
Seong-Gon Kim: Mississippi State University
Young-Min Kim: Sungkyunkwan University
Se-Young Jeong: Pusan National University

Nature, 2022, vol. 603, issue 7901, 434-438

Abstract: Abstract Oxidation can deteriorate the properties of copper that are critical for its use, particularly in the semiconductor industry and electro-optics applications1–7. This has prompted numerous studies exploring copper oxidation and possible passivation strategies8. In situ observations have, for example, shown that oxidation involves stepped surfaces: Cu2O growth occurs on flat surfaces as a result of Cu adatoms detaching from steps and diffusing across terraces9–11. But even though this mechanism explains why single-crystalline copper is more resistant to oxidation than polycrystalline copper, the fact that flat copper surfaces can be free of oxidation has not been explored further. Here we report the fabrication of copper thin films that are semi-permanently oxidation resistant because they consist of flat surfaces with only occasional mono-atomic steps. First-principles calculations confirm that mono-atomic step edges are as impervious to oxygen as flat surfaces and that surface adsorption of O atoms is suppressed once an oxygen face-centred cubic (fcc) surface site coverage of 50% has been reached. These combined effects explain the exceptional oxidation resistance of ultraflat Cu surfaces.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-04375-5

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