Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effects of cobalt doping on the electrical properties of MBE-grown ZnO

  • Published:
Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We investigated n-conducting Co-doped ZnO epilayers grown by MBE with a cobalt content of nominal 4, 12, and 18 at.% by means of deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) and resistivity measurements. We found that in materials grown at the same substrate temperature, 500 °C, the resistivity decreases with the cobalt mole fraction. The free electron concentration accounts for most of the change in the resistivity. The DLTS measurements reveal the presence of a defect center located at Ec−0.5 eV, which is (1) metastable; (2) sensitive to annealing in oxygen-free ambient, and (3) decreasing in density in the samples with higher cobalt content. We therefore assign the center to the isolated oxygen vacancy. Furthermore, our results support the hypothesis that ferromagnetism in ZnO:Co is mediated by Co-oxygen vacancy pairs.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. C.D. Pemmaraju, R. Hanafin, T. Archer, H.B. Braun, S. Sanvito, Phys Rev B 78, 054428 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. F.A. Selim, M.H. Weber, D. Solodovnikov, K.G. Lynn, Phys Rev Lett 99, 085502 (2007)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. S. Lany, A. Zunger, Phys Rev Lett 98, 045501 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. A. Janotti, C.G. Van de Walle, Phys Rev. B 76, 165202 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  5. D.R. Acosta, L. Castañedaa, A. López-Suáreza, A. Guillén-Santiago, Physica B: Condens Matter 404, 1427 (2009)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. C. Rath, S. Singh, P. Mallick, D. Pandey, N.P. Lalla, N.C. Mishra, Indian J Phys 83(4), 415–421 (2009)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. C.B. Fitzgerald, M. Venkatesan, J.G. Lunney, L.S. Dorneles, J.M.D. Coey, Appl Surface Sci 247, 493 (2005)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. T.R. Paudel, W.R.L. Lambrecht, Phys Rev B 77, 205202 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. S. Lany, A. Zunger, Phys Rev B 81, 113201 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. R. Hanafin, S. Sanvito, J Magn Magn Mater 322, 1209–1211 (2010)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. A.O. Ankiewicz, J Appl Phys 101, 024324 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. J.S. Thakur, G.W. Auner, V.M. Naik, C. Sudakar, P. Kharel, G. Lawes, R. Uryanarayanan, R. Naik, J Appl Phys 102, 093904 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. X.-C. Liu, E.-W. Shi, Z.-Z. Chen, B.-Y. Chen, T. Zhang, L.-X. Song, K.-J. Zhou, M.-Q. Cui, W.-S. Yan, Z. Xie, B. He, S.-Q. Wei, J Phys: Condens Matter 20, 025208 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgment

This work was supported by the Icelandic Research Fund and University of Iceland Research Fund.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Science Institute, University of Iceland, Dunhagi 3, IS-107, Reykjavík, Iceland

    D. Seghier & H. P. Gislason

Authors
  1. D. Seghier
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. H. P. Gislason
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to D. Seghier.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Seghier, D., Gislason, H.P. Effects of cobalt doping on the electrical properties of MBE-grown ZnO. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 22, 1400–1403 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-011-0320-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-011-0320-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation