Electrical contact properties of Cu2S nanowires grown vertically on Cu foil by gas–solid reaction

We grew Cu2S nanowires vertically on Cu foil by gas–solid reaction with a gas mixture of O2 and H2S. The electrical contact properties between the Cu2S nanowires and Cu foil were investigated using a modified current–voltage–temperature plot. The Cu/Cu2S layer exhibited the characteristics of a Schottky barrier with a barrier height of ∼0.72 eV, which was closer to the value for Cu/Cu2O than to Cu/Cu2S. Energy dispersive spectroscopy results showed the presence of Cu-oxide between the Cu2S nanowires and Cu foil. The overall structure was Cu/Cu-oxide/Cu2S and the electrical properties were controlled by the Cu/Cu-oxide.