Electronic and optical properties of Cu, CuO and Cu2O studied by electron spectroscopy

The electronic and optical properties of Cu, CuO and Cu2O were studied by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and reflection electron energy-loss spectroscopy (REELS). We report detailed Cu 2p, Cu LVV, O 1s and O KLL spectra which are in good agreement with previous results. REELS spectra, recorded for primary energies in the range from 150 to 2000 eV, were corrected for multiple inelastically scattered electrons to determine the effective inelastic scattering cross section. The dielectric functions and optical properties were determined by comparing the experimental inelastic electron scattering cross section with a simulated cross section calculated within the semi-classical dielectric response model in which the only input is Im(−1/ε) by using the QUEELS-ε(k,ω)-REELS software package. By Kramers–Kronig transformation of the determined Im(−1/ε), the real and imaginary parts (ε1 and ε2) of the dielectric function, and the refractive index n and extinction coefficient k were determined for Cu, CuO, and Cu2O in the 0–100 eV energy range. Observed differences between Cu, CuO and Cu2O are mainly due to modifications of the 3d and O 2p electron configurations.