The adsorption of atomic N and the growth of copper nitrides on Cu(1 0 0)

We report on the adsorption of nitrogen on the Cu(1 0 0) surface when using a radio-frequency plasma source to obtain atomic nitrogen. In these conditions, more than 0.5 ML of nitrogen can be adsorbed, due to N being implanted in both the surface and subsurface layers. The N adsorption modifies drastically the Cu surface, with the formation of a number of small irregular islands and dislocations. A copper nitride Cu3N thin film with a (1 0 0) texture can be grown by codepositing Cu and N at ∼100 °C.