Nitrogen doped <i>p</i>-type ZnO films and <i>p-n</i> homojunction

Abstract

We demonstrate the ZnO homojunction fully obtained by the atomic layer deposition technique at low temperature growth of 100–130 °C. For the n-type partner of the junction we used undoped ZnO film obtained at 130 °C, while nitrogen doped ZnO acted as the p-type partner of the junction. Nitrogen was introduced into the ZnO film during the ALD process by using ammonia water as an oxygen precursor and diethylzinc as a zinc precursor. The p-type conductivity of ZnO was activated by the subsequent annealing of the ZnO:N film in an oxygen or nitrogen atmosphere. The initial rectification ratio of 102 at ±2 V was raised to 4 · 104 by inserting an ultrathin Al2O3 layer between p- and n-type ZnO. The resulting rectification ratio is among the best parameters reported for a ZnO homojunction so far.