Electrical transport in thin films of copper silicide

Electrical properties of thin films of η'-Cu3Si phase with a tetragonal crystal structure are reported on. Electrical transport in these films is found to be very sensitive to oxygen exposure. Cu3Si reacts with oxygen at room temperature to form both Si and Cu oxides, resulting in high-room-temperature (∼60 μΩ cm) and even nonmetallic resistivity. This behavior is contrasted with that of low-resistivity (∼5 μΩ cm at room temperature) Cu3Ge, which is inert in an oxygen environment.