Beschreibung:
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:sec><jats:label /><jats:p>CuO thin films were grown by reactive magnetron sputtering and analyzed with respect to their structural, chemical, optical, and electrical properties. The films are strongly p‐type with carrier concentrations of <jats:inline-graphic xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="graphic/pssa201533018-math-0001.png" xlink:title="urn:x-wiley::media:pssa201533018:pssa201533018-math-0001" /> cm<jats:sup>−3</jats:sup>. Carrier accumulation at grain boundaries is evident from temperature and gas phase dependent conductivity measurements. The films show high absorption coefficients with a band gap of approximately 1.5 eV. Interface formation with TiO<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> and Au was studied by photoelectron spectroscopy. Regarding the TiO<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>/CuO interface, a strong band bending in the TiO<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> substrate and a valence band offset of <jats:inline-graphic xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="graphic/pssa201533018-math-0003.png" xlink:title="urn:x-wiley::media:pssa201533018:pssa201533018-math-0003" /> eV were observed. The TiO<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> conduction band is therefore approximately midgap of CuO at the interface. CuO is chemically reduced upon Au deposition but an ideal ohmic contact is formed with a Fermi level at the valence band maximum of CuO. Solar cell device structures were prepared of fluorine‐doped SnO<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>/TiO<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> substrates and Au back contacts, revealing open circuit voltages of <0.15 V and photocurrent densities of <0.1 mA/cm<jats:sup>2</jats:sup>. The photoactivity of the structures is ascribed mostly to the TiO<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> substrate.</jats:p></jats:sec>