I conducted GIXRD measurements after performing O2 plasma treatment on a Cu surface. It was observed that the baseline is significantly high at low angles (10-30 degrees). What could this indicate?
Additionally, it is puzzling that Cu oxide peaks were not detected after the O2 plasma treatment, while the intensity of the Cu peaks increased.
Dear Sangwoo Park ,
such a strong increase of background towards low 2theta is an indication that your sample height adjustment is not optimal. This background is partially due to the primary x-ray beam and scatter of the air.
You should
a) adjust the position of the surface level of your sample (increase sample height position),
b) make use of an edge knife just above the sample surface (or even decrease its position relative to the sample surface),
and
c) see what is happening
By the way; the operator of the XRD system should be able to handle that background issue...
With respect to the missing Cu oxide peaks I am out of clue...
Good luck and
best regards
G.M.
Thank you for your response, Dr. Gerhard Martens
I thought the peak increase was due to a specific substance because the background was consistent at higher 2-theta values, but it turns out it was an issue with the measurement.
The observations from your GIXRD measurements post-O2 plasma treatment on a Cu surface suggest a few possibilities:
High Baseline at Low Angles: The significantly high baseline in the 10-30 degrees range could indicate:
Increased surface roughness or texture, causing X-ray scattering.
The presence of amorphous material or thin film effects contributes to diffuse scattering.
Instrumental factors like beam divergence or sample transparency affect the low-angle region.
Absence of Cu Oxide Peaks: The lack of Cu oxide peaks might imply:
The oxide layer formed is too thin to be detected by GIXRD.
The oxide has an amorphous structure, lacking the long-range order for diffraction peaks.
Oxidation did not occur under the specific plasma treatment conditions.
Increased Cu Peak Intensity: The increased intensity of Cu peaks could indicate:
A cleaner or more ordered copper surface post-treatment leads to stronger diffraction signals.
These interpretations, while based on common outcomes in materials science, are not definitive. It is crucial to consider all possible factors and conduct further analysis, if necessary, to validate these hypotheses. If you have more specific details or results, we welcome your input for a more comprehensive analysis.
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