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Ag composition gradient CuCr0.93Mg0.07O2/Ag/CuCr0.93Mg0.07O2 coatings with improved p-type optoelectronic performances

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Abstract

The optoelectronic properties of Mg-doped CuCrO2 with delafossite structure were enhanced by stacking CuCr0.93Mg0.07O2/Ag/CuCr0.93Mg0.07O2 multilayers. The influences of the deposition time of the Ag and the thickness of the CuCr0.93Mg0.07O2 layers on the film’s performance were investigated. When the stacks were deposited under our deposition conditions, no continuous Ag layer was observed. The diffusion of Ag atoms into the neighboring CuCr0.93Mg0.07O2 layers caused a composition gradient of Ag in the films and caused Cr3+ cations to be replaced by Ag+ cations, which is beneficial for improving the conductivity of the films. When the Ag deposition time was increased, Schottky barriers occurred between Ag nanocrystallites and CuCr0.93Mg0.07O2 grains, lowering the films’ optoelectronic performances. The multilayers’ optoelectronic performances were enhanced when the thickness of the CuCr0.93Mg0.07O2 layers was decreased. Optimal films with a relatively high figure of merit of 2.37 × 10−7 Ω−1 can be achieved when the deposition time of Ag and the thickness of CuCrO2:Mg layers are optimized.

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Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge the China Scholarship Council (No. 201204490126) and Pays de Montbéliard-Agglomération for their financial support of this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. FEMTO-ST UMR 6174, CNRS, UTBM, Site de Montbéliard, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 90010, Belfort Cedex, France

    Hui Sun, Mohammad Arab Pour Yazdi & Alain Billard

  2. Department of Materials Engineering and Center for Thin Film Technologies and Applications, Ming Chi University of Technology, Taipei, 243, Taiwan

    Sheng-Chi Chen

  3. Department of Electronic Engineering, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, 333, Taiwan

    Sheng-Chi Chen

  4. Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 106, Taiwan

    Chao-Kuang Wen

  5. ICD LASMIS Institut Charles Delaunay, Laboratoire des Systèmes Mécaniques et d’Ingénierie Simultanée (UMR CNRS 6279), Pôle Technologique de Haute-Champagne, UTT, Antenne de Nogent-52, 52800, Nogent, France

    Frederic Sanchette

  6. LRC CEA-ICD LASMIS, Nogent International Center for CVD Innovation (NICCI), Pôle Technologique de Haute Champagne, UTT Antenne de Nogent, 52800, Nogent, France

    Frederic Sanchette

  7. LRC CEA/UTBM LIS-HP, Site de Montbéliard, 90010, Belfort Cedex, France

    Alain Billard

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  1. Hui Sun
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  2. Mohammad Arab Pour Yazdi
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  5. Frederic Sanchette
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  6. Alain Billard
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Correspondence to Hui Sun.

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Sun, H., Yazdi, M.A.P., Chen, SC. et al. Ag composition gradient CuCr0.93Mg0.07O2/Ag/CuCr0.93Mg0.07O2 coatings with improved p-type optoelectronic performances. J Mater Sci 52, 11537–11546 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-017-1295-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-017-1295-z

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