Atomic Oxygen Resistant Behavior of Ag and Ag-Cu Films Deposited at Low Temperature

Ag and Ag-Cu films were deposited at low temperature (173 K) by arc ion plating (AIP). Atomic oxygen (AO) irradiation experiments were conducted using a ground AO simulation facility. The structure and AO resistant behavior of the films were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscope (AFM) and compared with Ag film deposited at room temperature. The results show that crystallite size of Ag film was reduced by low temperature deposition and alloying with Cu, and its structure became more densified. So the Ag-Cu film deposited at low temperature had a dense structure beneficial for resisting oxidation of films by oxygen, and exhibited much better AO resistant behavior than that of the Ag film deposited at room temperature or at low temperature after the AO irradiation.