The effect of deposition parameters on the properties of SrCu2O2 films fabricated by pulsed laser deposition

SrCu2O2 (SCO) thin films have been fabricated by pulsed laser deposition at oxygen partial pressures between 5 × 10− 5–5 × 10− 2 mbar and substrate temperatures from 300 °C to 500 °C. All films were single-phase SrCu2O2, p-type materials. Films deposited at a substrate temperature of 300 °C and oxygen pressure 5 × 10− 4 mbar exhibited the highest transparency (∼ 80%), having conductivity 10− 3 S/cm and carrier concentration around 1013 cm− 3. Films deposited at oxygen partial pressure higher than 10− 3 mbar exhibited higher conductivity and carrier concentration but lower transmittance. Depositions at substrate temperatures higher than 300 °C gave films of high crystallinity and transmittance even for films as thick as 800 nm. The energy gap of SrCu2O2 thin films was found to be around 3.3 eV.