Enhancement of field emission of the ZnO film by the reduced work function and the increased conductivity via hydrogen plasma treatment

The ZnO films deposited by magnetron sputtering were treated by H/O plasma. It is found that the field emission (FE) characteristics of the ZnO film are considerably improved after H-plasma treatment and slightly deteriorated after O-plasma treatment. The improvement of FE characteristics is attributed to the reduced work function and the increased conductivity of the ZnO H films. Conductive atomic force microscopy was employed to investigate the effect of the plasma treatment on the nanoscale conductivity of ZnO, these findings correlate well with the FE data and facilitate a clearer description of electron emission from the ZnO H films.

Structural and magnetic properties of insulating Zn1-xCoxO thin films

Cobalt-doped ZnO (Zn1-xCoxO) thin films were fabricated by reactive magnetron cosputtering. The processing conditions were carefully designed to avoid the occurrence of Co precipitations. The films are c-axis oriented, and the solubility limit of Co in ZnO is less than 17%, determined by x-ray diffraction. X-ray photoemission spectroscopy measurements show Co ions have a chemical valance of 2+. In this paper, hysteresis loops were clearly observed for Zn1-xCoxO films at room temperature. The coercive field, as well as saturation magnetization per Co atom, decreases with increasing Co content, within the range of 0.07films are nonconductive as x is no more than 17%. Our results clearly demonstrate that ferromagnetism can be realized in Zn1-xCoxO without carrier incorporation. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.

Electroluminescence behavior of ZnO/Si heterojunctions: Energy band alignment and interfacial microstructure

n-ZnO/p-Si heterojunction light-emitting diodes (LEDs) show weak defect-related electroluminescence (EL). In order to analyze the origin of the weak EL, the energy band alignment and interfacial microstructure of ZnO/Si heterojunction are investigated by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The valence band offset (VBO) is determined to be 3.15 +/- 0.15 eV and conduction band offset is -0.90 +/- 0.15 eV, showing a type-II band alignment. The higher VBO means a high potential barrier for holes injected from Si into ZnO, and hence, charge carrier recombination takes place mainly on the Si side rather than the ZnO layer. It is also found that a 2.1 nm thick SiOx interfacial layer is formed at the ZnO/Si interface. The unavoidable SiOx interfacial layer provides to a large number of nonradiative centers at the ZnO/Si interface and gives rise to poor crystallinity in the ZnO films. The weak EL from the n-ZnO/p-Si LEDs can be ascribed to the high ZnO/Si VBO and existence of the SiOx interfacial layer.

The growth of ZnO on bcc-In2O3 buffer layers and the valence band offset determined by X-ray photoemission spectroscopy

This work was supported by the 863 High Technology R&D Program of China (Grant Nos. 2007AA03Z402 and 2007AA03Z451), the Special Funds for Major State Basic Research Project (973 program) of China (Grant No. 2006CB604907), and the National Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 60506002 and 60776015). The authors express their appreciation to Dr. Tieying Yang and Prof. Huanhua Wang (Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences) for XRD measurements and helpful discussions.

改进的SILAR法制备ZnO薄膜及其表征

A modified solution method, successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction(SILAR), was applied to prepare transparent zinc oxide(ZnO) film on glass substrate at (125±5) ℃ in mixed ion precursor solution. The surface morphology and crystallizations of films were analyzed by field emission scanning microscopy(FESEM) and X-ray diffraction(XRD), respectively. The optical properties of the films were studied by ultraviolet visible(UV-Vis)spectroscopy. The results show that the obtained samples are polycrystallin...中文文摘：采用一种改进的液相成膜技术——连续离子层吸附与反应(SILAR)法,用锌氨络离子[Zn(NH3)4]2+溶液作为独立的前驱体溶液,以载玻片为衬底,在(125±5)℃的温度下沉积出致密、透明的ZnO薄膜。分别用冷场发射型扫描电镜(FESEM)和X射线衍射(XRD)分析了薄膜样品的表面形貌和结晶状态,用紫外-可见分光光度计(UV-Vis spectroscopy)研究了薄膜样品的发光性能。结果表明:获得样品为六角纤锌矿结构的多晶薄膜材料沿[002]方向择优生长;样品表面均匀、致密,厚度约为550nm;在可见光波段具有高的透射率(>80%)。

Blue-violet luminescence double peak of In-doped films prepared by radio frequency sputtering

ZnO films doped with different contents of indium were prepared by radio frequency sputtering technique. The structural, optical and emission properties of the films were characterized at room temperature using XRD, XPS, UV-vis-NIR and PL techniques. Results showed that the indium was successfully incorporated into the c-axis preferred orientated ZnO films, and the In-doped ZnO films are of over 80% optical transparency in the visible range. Furthermore, a double peak of blue-violet emission with a constant energy interval (similar to 0.17 eV) was observed in the PL spectra of the samples with area ratio of indium chips to the Zn target larger than 2.0%. The blue peak comes from the electron transition from the Zn-i level to the top of the valence band and the violet peak from the In-Zn donor level to the V-Zn level, respectively.

First-principles prediction of the magnetism of 3d transition-metal-doped Rocksalt MgO

Using first-principles band structure methods, we have systematically studied the electronic structures, magnetic stabilities, and half-metal properties of 3d transition-metal (TM) doped Rocksalt MgO compounds TMMg3O4 (TM = V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, and Ni). The calculations reveal that only CrMg3O4 has a ferromagnetic stability among the six compounds, which is explained by double-exchange mechanism. The magnetic stability is affected by the doping concentration of TM if the top valance band is composed of partially occupied t(2g) states. In addition, CrMg3O4 is a half-metallic ferromagnet. The origins of half-metallic and ferromagnetic properties are explored. The Curie temperature (T-c) of CrMg3O4 is 182 K. And it is hard for CrMg3O4 to deform due to the large bulk modulus and shear modulus, so it is a promising spintronic material. Our calculations provide the first available information on the magnetic properties of 3d TM-doped MgO.

Synthesis of GaN nanorods with vertebra-like morphology

GaN nanorods with vertebra-like morphology were synthesized by nitriding Ga2O3/ZnO films at 1000 degrees C for 20min. Ga2O3 thin films and ZnO middle layers were pre-deposited in turn on Si(111) substrates by r.f. magnetron sputtering system. In the flowing ammonia ambient, ZnO was reducted to Zn and Zu sublimated at 1000 degrees C. Ga2O3 was reducted to Ga2O and Ga2O reacted with NH3 to synthesize GaN nanorods in the help of the sublimation of Zn. The structure and morphology of the nanorods were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), The composition of GaN nanorods was studied by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and fourier transform infrared (FTIR) system.

Preparation and characterization of hybrid ZnO/ormosils films

Hybrid ZnO/ormosils Elms are prepared by the sol-gel method. A FT-IR spectrometer, 900 UV/VIS/NIR spectrophotometer, atomic force microscope, and ellipsometer are employed to investigate microstructure and optical properties of the films fired at different temperatures. The results show that the films with high transmittance and low surface roughness could be obtained at the heat-treatment temperature of 150 degrees C, the refractive index and thickness of the film are 1.413, 2.11 mu m, respectively. Higher temperatures (350 degrees C, 550 degrees C) change the Elm microstructure severely, and then decrease the transmittance of the films.

Structural and optical properties of a-plane ZnO thin films synthesized on γ-LiAlO2 (302) substrates by low pressure metal-organic chemical vapor deposition

Nonpolar a-plane (1120) ZnO thin films have been fabricated on gamma-LiAlO2 (302) substrates via the low-pressure metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. An obvious intensity variation of the E-2 mode in the Raman spectra indicates that there exhibits in-plane optical anisotropy in the a-plane ZnO thin films. Highly-oriented uniform grains of rectangular shape can be seen from the atomic force microscopy images, which mean that the lateral growth rate of the thin films is also anisotropic. It is demonstrated experimentally that a buffer layer deposited at a low temperature (200 degrees C) can improve the structural and optical properties of the epilayer to a large extent. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Synthesis and characterization of ZnO nanoflowers grown on AIN films by solution deposition

ZnO nanoflowers are synthesized on AIN films by solution method. The synthesized nanoflowers are composed of nanorods, which are pyramidal and grow from a central point, thus forming structures that are flower-shaped as a whole. The nanoflowers have two typical morphologies: plate-like and bush-like. The XRD spectrum corresponds to the side planes of the ZnO nanorods made up of the nanoflowers. The micro-Raman spectrum of the ZnO nanoflowers exhibits the E-2 (high) mode and the second order multiple-phonon mode. The photoluminescence spectrum of the ZnO nanoflowers exhibits ultraviolet emission centred at 375 nm and a broad green emission centred at 526 nm.

Effect of silver growth temperature on the contacts between Ag and ZnO thin films

Highly c-axis oriented ZnO thin films were deposited on Si substrates by the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) method. At different growth temperatures, 200 nm silver films as the contact metal were deposited on the ZnO thin films. The growth temperatures have great influence on the crystal quality of Ag films. Current-voltage characteristics were measured at room temperature. The Schottky contacts between Ag and ZnO thin films were successfully obtained when silver electrodes were deposited at 150A degrees C and 200A degrees C. Ohmic contacts were formed while the growth temperatures were lower than 150A degrees C or higher than 200A degrees C. After analysis, the forming of Ag/ZnO Schottky contacts was shown to be dependent on the appearance of the p-type inversion layer at the interface between Ag and ZnO layers.

Microstructural and compositional characteristics of GaN films grown on a ZnO-buffered Si(111) wafer

Polycrystalline GaN thin films have been deposited epitaxially on a ZnO-buffered (111)-oriented Si substrate by molecular beam epitaxy. The microstructural and compositional characteristics of the films were studied by analytical transmission electron microscopy (TEM). A SiO2 amorphous layer about 3.5 nm in thickness between the Si/ZnO interface has been identified by means of spatially resolved electron energy loss spectroscopy. Cross-sectional and plan-view TEM investigations reveal (GaN/ZnO/SiO2/Si) layers exhibiting definite a crystallographic relationship: [111](Si)//[111](ZnO)//[0001](GaN) along the epitaxy direction. GaN films are polycrystalline with nanoscale grains (similar to100 nm in size) grown along [0001] direction with about 20degrees between the (1 (1) over bar 00) planes of adjacent grains. A three-dimensional growth mode for the buffer layer and the film is proposed to explain the formation of the as-grown polycrystalline GaN films and the functionality of the buffer layer. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

ZnO thin films on Si(111) grown by pulsed laser deposition from metallic Zn target

ZnO thin films with highly c-axis orientation have been fabricated on p-type Si(1 1 1) substrates at 400 degrees C by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) from a metallic Zn target with oxygen pressures between 0.1 and 0.7 mbar. Experimental results indicate that the films deposited at 0.3 and 0.5 mbar have better crystalline and optical quality and flatter surfaces than the films prepared at other pressures. The full width at half maximum (FWHM) of (0 0 0 2) diffraction peak decreases remarkably from 0.46 to 0.19 degrees with increasing annealing temperature for the film prepared at 0.3 mbar. In photoluminescence (PL) spectra at room temperature, the annealed film at 700 degrees C exhibits a smaller ultraviolet (UV) peak FWHM of 108 meV than the as-grown film (119 meV). However, an enhanced deep-level emission is observed. Possible origins to above results are discussed. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.