Growth ambient dependent electrical properties of lithium and nitrogen dual-doped ZnO films prepared by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering

• Published in: Thin solid films 2010-04, Vol.518 (12), p.3289-3292
• Main Authors: Zhao, T.T., Yang, T., Yao, B., Cong, C.X., Sui, Y.R., Xing, G.Z., Sun, Y., Su, S.C., Zhu, H., Shen, D.Z.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Deposition by sputtering; Electrical properties and measurements; Electronic structure and electrical properties of surfaces, interfaces, thin films and low-dimensional structures; Electronic transport phenomena in thin films and low-dimensional structures; Exact sciences and technology; Galvanomagnetic and other magnetotransport effects (including thermomagnetic effects); Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Photoluminescence; Physics; Semiconductors; Structure and morphology; thickness; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Theory and models of film growth; Thin film structure and morphology; Zinc oxide
• ISSN: 0040-6090; 1879-2731
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2009.09.008

Lithium (Li) and nitrogen (N) dual-doped ZnO films with wurtzite structure were prepared by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering ZnO target with Li 3N in growth ambient of pure Ar and the mixture of Ar and O 2, respectively, and then post annealing techniques. The film showed week p-type conductivity as the ambient was pure Ar, but stable p-type conductivity with a hole concentration of 3.46 × 10 17 cm − 3 , Hall mobility of 5.27 cm 2/Vs and resistivity of 3.43 Ω cm when the ambient is the mixture of Ar and O 2 with the molar ratio of 60:1. The stable p-type conductivity is due to substitution of Li for Zn (Li Zn) and formation of complex of interstitial Li (Li i) and substitutional N at O site, the former forms a Li Zn acceptor, and the latter depresses compensation of Li i donor for Li Zn acceptor. The level of the Li Zn acceptor is estimated to be 131.6 meV by using temperature-dependent photoluminescence spectrum measurement and Haynes rule. Mechanism about the effect of the ambient on the conductivity is discussed in the present work.