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Achieve p-type conduction in N-doped and (Al,N)-codoped ZnO thin films by oxidative annealing zinc nitride precursors

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Abstract

N-doped and (Al,N)-codoped ZnO films were synthesized by oxidative annealing of (Zn + Zn3N2) films, which were fabricated by reactive magnetron sputtering. Both n- and p-type conductions were obtained in these ZnO:N and ZnO:AlN films. Optimal oxidation treatments for achieving p-type ZnO are annealing at 400–600 °C for 10–60 min, depending on the film thickness and morphology. The electric properties were found to be very sensitive to the annealing conditions and film structure. As-deposited (Zn + Zn3N2) films with and without Al addition had carrier concentrations of 1021–1022 cm−3. After conversion to ZnO, the n-type films had a carrier concentrations up to 1019 cm−3, whereas the p-type ZnO:N films had hole concentrations of 1014–1016 cm−3. (Al,N)-codoping increased the hole concentration of p-type film to 1018 cm−3 despite a decrease in Hall mobility. The photoluminescence properties of the p-type ZnO films were also investigated. The synthesis of p-type ZnO:AlN by oxidative annealing is believed to provide an alternative approach to realize p-type conduction in codoped ZnO film by using N2 as the N source.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Dr. T. Liu from the Department of Physics at National University of Singapore for XANES measurements. Assistance on PL measurement from Dr. S.J. Wang at the Institute Materials Research is also gratefully acknowledged.

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  1. Z. W. Liu

    Present address: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 639798, Singapore

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Superconducting and Magnetic Materials, Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117542, Singapore

    Z. W. Liu, S. W. Yeo & C. K. Ong

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  1. Z. W. Liu
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  2. S. W. Yeo
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Correspondence to Z. W. Liu.

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Liu, Z.W., Yeo, S.W. & Ong, C.K. Achieve p-type conduction in N-doped and (Al,N)-codoped ZnO thin films by oxidative annealing zinc nitride precursors. Journal of Materials Research 22, 2668–2675 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.2007.0364

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