Band offset measurements of ZnO∕6H-SiC heterostructure system

The conduction band offset of n-ZnO∕n-6H-SiCheterostructures fabricated by rf-sputtered ZnO on commercial n-type 6H-SiC substrates has been measured by a variety of methods. Temperature dependent current-voltage characteristic, photocapacitance, and deep level transient spectroscopy measurements showed the conduction band offsets to be 1.25, 1.1, and 1.22eV, respectively

Photoresponse of n-ZnO∕p-SiC heterojunction diodes grown by plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy

High quality n-ZnOfilms on commercial p-type 6H–SiC substrates have been grown by plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy, and n-ZnO∕p-SiCheterojunction mesa structures have been fabricated. Current-voltage characteristics of the structures had a very good rectifying diode-like behavior with a leakage current less than 2×10−4A/cm2 at −10V, a breakdown voltage greater than 20V, a forward turn on voltage of ∼5V, and a forward current of ∼2A/cm2 at 8V. Photosensitivity of the diodes was studied at room temperature and a photoresponsivity of as high as 0.045A∕W at −7.5V reverse bias was observed for photonenergies higher than 3.0eV

A comprehensive review of ZnO materials and devices

The semiconductor ZnO has gained substantial interest in the research community in part because of its large exciton binding energy (60 meV) which could lead to lasing action based on exciton recombination even above room temperature. Even though research focusing on ZnO goes back many decades, the renewed interest is fueled by availability of high-quality substrates and reports of p-type conduction and ferromagnetic behavior when doped with transitions metals, both of which remain controversial. It is this renewed interest in ZnO which forms the basis of this review. As mentioned already, ZnO is not new to the semiconductor field, with studies of its lattice parameter dating back to 1935 by Bunn [Proc. Phys. Soc. London 47, 836 (1935)], studies of its vibrational properties with Raman scattering in 1966 by Damen et al. [Phys. Rev.142, 570 (1966)], detailed optical studies in 1954 by Mollwo [Z. Angew. Phys.6, 257 (1954)], and its growth by chemical-vapor transport in 1970 by Galli and Coker [Appl. Phys. Lett.16, 439 (1970)]. In terms of devices, Au Schottky barriers in 1965 by Mead [Phys. Lett.18, 218 (1965)], demonstration of light-emitting diodes (1967) by Drapak [Semiconductors 2, 624 (1968)], in which Cu2O was used as the p-type material, metal-insulator-semiconductor structures (1974) by Minami et al. [Jpn. J. Appl. Phys.13, 1475 (1974)], ZnO∕ZnSe n-p junctions (1975) by Tsurkan et al. [Semiconductors 6, 1183 (1975)], and Al∕Au Ohmic contacts by Brillson [J. Vac. Sci. Technol.15, 1378 (1978)] were attained. The main obstacle to the development of ZnO has been the lack of reproducible and low-resistivity p-type ZnO, as recently discussed by Look and Claflin [Phys. Status Solidi B241, 624 (2004)]. While ZnO already has many industrial applications owing to its piezoelectric properties and band gap in the near ultraviolet, its applications to optoelectronic devices has not yet materialized due chiefly to the lack of p-type epitaxial layers. Very high quality what used to be called whiskers and platelets, the nomenclature for which gave way to nanostructures of late, have been prepared early on and used to deduce much of the principal properties of this material, particularly in terms of optical processes. The suggestion of attainment of p-type conductivity in the last few years has rekindled the long-time, albeit dormant, fervor of exploiting this material for optoelectronic applications. The attraction can simply be attributed to the large exciton binding energy of 60 meV of ZnO potentially paving the way for efficient room-temperature exciton-based emitters, and sharp transitions facilitating very low threshold semiconductor lasers. The field is also fueled by theoretical predictions and perhaps experimental confirmation of ferromagnetism at room temperature for potential spintronics applications. This review gives an in-depth discussion of the mechanical, chemical, electrical, and optical properties of ZnO in addition to the technological issues such as growth, defects, p-type doping, band-gap engineering, devices, and nanostructures

Fabrication and current-voltage characterization of a ferroelectric lead zirconate titanate/AlGaN∕GaN field effect transistor

We demonstrated ferroelectricfield effect transistors (FFETs) with hysteretic I-V characteristics in a modulation-doped field effect transistors(MODFET)AlGaN∕GaN platform with ferroelectricPb(Zr,Ti)O3 between a GaN channel and a gate metal. The pinch-off voltage was about 6–7V comparable to that of conventional Schottky gate MODFET. Counterclockwise hysteresis appeared in the transfer characteristics with a drain current shift of ∼5mA for zero gate-to-source voltage. This direction is opposite and much more pronounced than the defect induced clockwise hysteresis in conventional devices, which suggests that the key factor contributing to the counterclockwise hysteresis of the FFET is the ferroelectric switching effect of the lead zirconate titanate gate

Influence of helium-ion bombardment on the optical properties of ZnO nanorods/p-GaN light-emitting diodes

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) based on zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods grown by vapor-liquid-solid catalytic growth method were irradiated with 2-MeV helium (He+) ions. The fabricated LEDs were irradiated with fluencies of approximately 2 × 1013 ions/cm2 and approximately 4 × 1013 ions/cm2. Scanning electron microscopy images showed that the morphology of the irradiated samples is not changed. The as-grown and He+-irradiated LEDs showed rectifying behavior with the same I-V characteristics. Photoluminescence (PL) measurements showed that there is a blue shift of approximately 0.0347 and 0.082 eV in the near-band emission (free exciton) and green emission of the irradiated ZnO nanorods, respectively. It was also observed that the PL intensity of the near-band emission was decreased after irradiation of the samples. The electroluminescence (EL) measurements of the fabricated LEDs showed that there is a blue shift of 0.125 eV in the broad green emission after irradiation and the EL intensity of violet emission approximately centered at 398 nm nearly disappeared after irradiations. The color-rendering properties show a small decrease in the color-rendering indices of 3% after 2 MeV He+ ions irradiation

Properties Of Isotype N-Zno/N-Gan Heterostructures Studied By I-V-T And Electron Beam Induced Current Methods

Electrical properties of isotype n-ZnO/n-GaN heterostructures obtained by radio-frequency sputtering of ZnO films on GaN layers are studied by means of temperature dependent current-voltage (I-V-T) characterization and electron beam induced current (EBIC) measurements. The n-ZnO/n-GaN diodes showed highly rectifying behavior with a forward and reverse current ratio of about 10 6 at 5V. From the analysis of I-V-T measurements, a conduction band offset of ∼0.62eV was derived. From EBIC measurements, theminority carrier diffusion length of ZnO was estimated to lie in the range 0.125-0.175νm, while an activation energy was derived as 0.462 0.073V and was attributed to the traps. © IOP Publishing Ltd

Fabrication and characterization of n-Zn0/p-AlGaN heterojunction light-emitting diodes on 6H-SiC substrates

We report on the fabrication of n-ZnO/p-AlGaN heterojunction light-emitting diodes on 6H-SiC substrates. Hydride vapor phase epitaxy was used to grow p-type AlGaN, while chemical vapor deposition was used to produce the n-type ZnO layers. Diode-like, rectifying I-V characteristics, with threshold voltage ~3.2V and low reverse leakage current ~10(-7)A, are observed at room temperature. Intense ultraviolet emission with a peak wavelength near 389 mn is observed when the diode is forward biased; this emission is found to be stable at temperatures up to 500K and shown to originate from recombination within the ZnO

Current-Transport Mechanisms Of Isotype N-Zno/N-Gan Heterostructures

Electrical properties of n-ZnO/n-GaN isotype heterostructures prepared by rf-sputtering of ZnO films on GaN layers which in turn grown by metal-organic vapour phase epitaxy are discussed. Current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of the n-ZnO/n-GaN diodes exhibited highly rectifying characteristics with forward and reverse currents being ∼1.43×10-2 A/cm2 and ∼2.4×10-4 A/cm2, respectively, at ±5 V. From the Arrhenius plot built representing the temperature dependent current-voltage characteristics (I-V-T) an activation energy 0.125 eV was derived for the reverse bias leakage current path, and 0.62 eV for the band offset from forward bias measurements. From electron-beam induced current measurements and depending on excitation conditions the minority carrier diffusion length in ZnO was estimated in the range 0.125-0.175 μm,. The temperature dependent EBIC measurements yielded an activation energy of 0.462 ± 0.073 V