Epitaxial Electrodeposition of High-aspect-ratio Cu₂O(110) Nanostructures on InP(111)

Epitaxial cuprous oxide nanostructures with high aspect ratio were deposited electrochemically on n-InP(111) from aqueous solution at room temperature. High-resolution X-ray diffraction shows that the Cu ₂ O and InP form three equivalent epitaxial orientation relationships that are rotated 120 relative to each other: Cu ₂ O(110)[100] || InP(111)[10], Cu ₂ O(110)[100] || InP(111)[01], and Cu ₂ O(110)[100] || InP(111)[01]. the size and aspect ratio of the Cu ₂ O nanostructures depend on the applied deposition current density. at a deposition current density of 0.125 mA/cm ² , uniformly sized nanostructures 30 nm wide and 1000 nm long were obtained. Transmission electron microscopy reveals an amorphous, oxygen-rich interlayer and a crystalline Cu ₃ P layer between the Cu ₂ O and InP.