Raman study of lattice dynamic behaviors in phosphorus-doped ZnO films

Abstract

Phosphorus-induced lattice dynamic behaviors in ZnO:P epilayers grown by the metalorganic chemical vapor deposition technique have been studied using the Raman scattering method. Additional modes around 504, 520, 655, and 866cm−1 are attributed to the disorder-activated modes due to the breakdown of translational symmetry by P doping, well supported by the reported ab initio calculations of lattice dynamics in w-ZnO. Two modes around 364 and 478cm−1 are assigned to the local vibrational modes of Zn–P and P–O pairs, respectively. The correlation of transport and vibrational properties demonstrates the complex doping mechanism and the amphoteric nature of P dopant in ZnO. In addition, the redshift of 2 longitudinal optical multiphonon around 1154cm−1 is possibly originated from the variation of short-range forces in ZnO uniaxial lattice caused by P incorporation.