Aluminum-nitride codoped zinc oxide films prepared using a radio-frequency magnetron cosputtering system

Al-N codoped zinc oxide films were prepared using a radio-frequency magnetron cosputtering system at room temperature. AlN and ZnO materials were employed as the cosputtered targets. The as-deposited cosputtered films at various theoretical atomic ratios [ Al ∕ ( Al + Zn ) at. % ] showed n -type con...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of applied physics 2007-08, Vol.102 (3), p.033516-033516-6
Main Authors: Liu, Day-Shan, Sheu, Chia-Sheng, Lee, Ching-Ting
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
ALUMINIUM NITRIDES
ANNEALING
CHEMICAL BONDS
DOPED MATERIALS
MAGNETRONS
MATERIALS SCIENCE
NITRIFICATION
OXYGEN
PHOTOLUMINESCENCE
RADIOWAVE RADIATION
RED SHIFT
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SPUTTERING
SURFACE COATING
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0273-0400 K
THIN FILMS
X-RAY DIFFRACTION
X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
ZINC IONS
ZINC OXIDES
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Summary:Al-N codoped zinc oxide films were prepared using a radio-frequency magnetron cosputtering system at room temperature. AlN and ZnO materials were employed as the cosputtered targets. The as-deposited cosputtered films at various theoretical atomic ratios [ Al ∕ ( Al + Zn ) at. % ] showed n -type conductive behavior in spite of the N atoms exceeding that of the Al dopants, indicating that the N-related acceptors were still inactive. The crystalline structure was obviously correlated with the cosputtered AlN contents and eventually evolved into an amorphous structure for the Al-N codoped ZnO film at a theoretical Al doping level reaching 60%. With an adequate postannealing treatment, the N-related acceptors were effectively activated and the p -type ZnO conductive behavior achieved. The appearance of the Zn 3 N 2 phase in the x-ray diffraction pattern of the annealed Al-N codoped ZnO film provided evidence of the nitrification of zinc ions. The redshift of the shallow level transition and the apparent suppression of the oxygen-related deep level emission investigated from the photoluminescence spectrum measured at room temperature were concluded to be influenced by the activated N-related acceptors. In addition, the activation of the N acceptors denoted as N-Zn bond and the chemical bond related to the Zn 3 N 2 crystalline structure were also observed from the associated x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy spectra.
ISSN:0021-8979
1089-7550
DOI:10.1063/1.2768010