Schottky metal library for ZNO-based UV photodiode fabricated by the combinatorial ion beam-assisted deposition

A binary alloy Schottky barrier diode on zinc oxide (ZnO) was developed using the combinatorial ion beam-assisted deposition system. The compositional fraction of the binary alloy was continuously varied using the composition-spread technique, to control the Schottky barrier height. After metal deposition, patterned Schottky diodes were fabricated on a ZnO single-crystal substrate. Pt-Ru alloy was selected from the work function viewpoint. Our experiments showed that the compositional fraction of the Schottky binary alloys changed continuously as designed and the Schottky barrier heights measured by current-voltage (I-V) measurements increased with increasing Pt content. Maximum barrier height difference for ZnO was 137 meV. Using ion beam deposition in parallel with the combinatorial system showed that the Schottky barrier heights for ZnO can be controlled by binary metal alloying.     

Electrical characteristics and optoelectronic properties of metal--semiconductor--metal structure with zinc oxide nanowires across Au electrodes

This paper reports on a method of assembling semiconducting ZnO nanowires onto a pair of Au electrodes to construct a metal--semiconductor metal （MSM） structure by dieleetrophoresis and studying on its electrical characteristics by using current-voltage （Ⅰ - Ⅴ） measurements. An electronic model with two back to back Sehottky diodes in series with a semiconductor of nanowires was established to study the electrical transport of the MSM structures. By fitting the measured Ⅰ - Ⅴ characteristics using the proposed model, the parameters of the Schottky contacts and the resistance of nanowires could be acquired. The photoelectric properties of the MSM structures were also investigated by analysing the measurements of the electrical transports under various light intensities. The deduced results demonstrate that ZnO nanowires and their Schottky contacts with Au electrodes both contribute to photosensitivity and the MSM structures with ZnO nanowires are potentially applicable for photonic devices.     

ZnO薄膜肖特基二极管的研制

采用直流反应磁控溅射的方法,在Al/Si(100)衬底上沉积了ZnO晶体薄膜.利用Al和Pt作为与ZnO接触的欧姆电极与肖特基电极,制作了ZnO薄膜肖特基二极管.X射线衍射测试结果表明ZnO薄膜具有高度的c轴择优取向.原子力显微分析表明:样品表面光洁平整,晶粒尺寸约100nm,扩展电阻分析表明ZnO薄膜的厚度为0.4μm,载流子浓度为1.8×1015 cm-3,此后的霍尔测试证实了这一结果并说明ZnO的导电类型为n型.室温下的I-V测试显示ZnO肖特基二极管具有明显的整流特性.Pt与n型ZnO接触的势垒高度为0.54eV.文中的ZnO肖特基二极管为首次研制的原型器件,其性能可以通过器件结构与制作工艺的进一步优化而得到改善.     

Enhanced nonlinear current-voltage behavior in Au nanoparticle dispersed CaCu3Ti4O12 composite films

An enhanced nonlinear current-voltage behavior has been observed in Au nanoparticle dispersed CaCu₃Ti₄O₁₂ composite films. The double Schottky barrier model is used to explain the enhanced nonlinearity in I-V curves. According to the energy-band model and fitting result, the nonlinearity in Au: CCTO film is mainly governed by thermionic emission in the reverse-biased Schottky barrier. This result not only supports the mechanism of double Schottky barrier in CCTO, but also indicates that the nonlinearity of current-voltage behavior could be improved in nanometal composite films, which has great significance for the resistance switching devices.     

Study of Au/ZnO nanorods Schottky light-emitting diodes grown by low-temperature aqueous chemical method

High quality vertically aligned ZnO nanorods (NRs) were grown by low-temperature aqueous chemical technique on 4H-n-SiC substrates. Schottky light-emitting diodes (LEDs) were fabricated. The current-voltage (I–V) characteristics of Schottky diodes reveal good rectifying behavior. Optical properties of the ZnO nanorods (NRs) were probed by cathodoluminescence (CL) measurements at room temperature complemented with electroluminescence (EL). The room-temperature CL spectra of the ZnO NRs exhibit near band edge (NBE) emission as well as strong deep level emission (DLE) centered at 690 nm. At room temperature the CL spectra intensity of the DLE was enhanced with the increase of the electron beam penetration depth due to the increase of defect concentration at the interface and due to the conversion of self-absorbed UV emission. We observed a variation in the DLE along the nanorod depth. This indicates a relatively lower structural quality near the interface between ZnO NRs and n-SiC substrate. The room-temperature CL spectra of SiC show very weak emission, which confirms that most of the DLE is originating from the ZnO NRs, and SiC has a minute contribution to the emission.     

Zinc oxide based varistors: A possible mechanism

We propose a theoretical explanation of the highly nonlinear current-voltage (I–V) characteristics of ZnO based varistor ceramics, with maximum values of $\text{α =}\text{dlogI}\text{dlogV}$ of over 70 at T = 300 K. Starting with symmetrical Schottky barriers at the junctions between ZnO grains, we show that the presence of deep interface states with a very slow recombination can lead to a control mechanism for the V-dependence of the barrier height that is essential for the occurence of very high α values. The model accounts for the observed voltage and temperature dependence of α and I, and for the capacitance of ZnO varistors.     

Thickness dependence of the resistive switching behavior of nonvolatile memory device structures based on undoped ZnO films

The resistive switching behavior of Al/ZnO/Al layered memory device structures was investigated in connection with varying ZnO layer thickness and related changes in crystallinity and concentration of oxygen-related defects. It was observed that, with increasing thickness, the crystallinity of the ZnO layer was improved and the concentration of oxygen-related defects within the layer increased. While the device showed unipolar switching characteristics, the current-voltage hysteresis was dependent on the thickness of the ZnO layer. In particular, the set voltage gradually increased with increasing layer thickness in the high resistive state whereas the reset voltage remained almost constant in the low resistive state. The observed operation characteristics of the device structures in relation to the crystallinity and oxygen-related defect concentration of the ZnO layer suggest that extended defects such as grain boundaries and dislocations play important roles in determining device performances.     

PEDOT:PSS Schottky contacts on annealed ZnO films

Polycrystalline ZnO and ITO films on SiO₂ substrates are prepared by radio frequency (RF) reactive magnetron sputtering. Schottky contacts are fabricated on ZnO films by spin coating with a high conducting polymer, poly(3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) as the metal electrodes. The current-voltage measurements for samples on unannealed ZnO films exhibit rectifying behaviours with a barrier height of 0.72 eV (n=1.93). The current for the sample is improved by two orders of magnitude at 1 V after annealing ZnO film at 850 ℃, whose barrier height is 0.75 eV with an ideality factor of 1.12. X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy are used to study the properties of the PEDOT:PSS/ZnO/ITO/SiO₂. The results are useful for applications such as metal-semiconductor field-effect transistors and UV photodetectors.     

Investigation of electrical and ammonia sensing characteristics of Schottky barrier diode based on a single ultra-long ZnO nanorod

Novel ultra-long ZnO nanorods, with lengths about 0.5-1.5 mm and diameters ranging from 100 to 1000 nm, in mass production have been synthesized via the vapor-phase transport method with CuO catalyst at 900 °C. Rectifying Schottky barrier diodes have been fabricated by aligning a single ultra-long ZnO nanorod across paired Ag electrodes. The resulting current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of the SBD exhibit a clear rectifying behavior. The ideality factor of the diode is about 4.6, and the threshold voltage is about 0.54 V at room temperature (300 K). At the same time the detailed I-V characteristics have been investigated in the temperature range 423-523 K. In addition, after exposure of the Schottky diodes to NH₃, the forward and reverse currents increase rapidly, indicating a high sensitivity to NH₃ gas.     

原子力显微技术研究ZnO纳米棒的压电放电特性

在原子力显微镜的接触扫描模式下,研究了半导体ZnO纳米棒的压电放电特性.采用两步湿化学法制备沿c轴择优生长的ZnO纳米棒阵列;利用镀Pt探针接触扫描ZnO纳米棒获得峰值达120 pA电流脉冲,脉冲持续时间可达30 ms,电流脉冲与纳米棒的形貌存在对应关系.镀Pt探针与ZnO纳米棒接触形成肖特基二极管,I-V特性研究表明放电的ZnO纳米棒压电电势必须大于03 V,以驱动肖特基二极管并输出电流;放电时肖特基二极管的结电阻达吉欧(GΩ)量级,是影响压电电势输出的主要因 关键词： ZnO 纳米棒 压电放电 肖特基接触     

An interfacial complex in ZnO and its influence on charge transport

The segregation of native defects and Bi impurities to a high-angle grain boundary in ZnO is studied by first-principles calculations. It is found that the presence of Bi(Zn) increases the concentration of native defects of acceptor type in the grain boundary. This leads to the formation of a Bi(Zn)+V(Zn)+O(i) interfacial complex under O-rich conditions and exhibits a localized acceptor state. This state, which is different from that of the isolated impurity, gives the grain boundary p-type character and when embedded between n-type ZnO grains is consistent with the double Schottky barrier model for Bi-doped ZnO varistors.     

Effect of electrically degenerated layer on the carrier transport property of ZnO epitaxial thin films

ZnO films were prepared on (1 1 1) YSZ and (0 0 0 1) sapphire by pulsed laser deposition method. Effect of lattice mismatch on the carrier transport properties of ZnO epitaxial thin films was investigated. The carrier mobility of the ZnO films on YSZ was larger than that of ZnO/sapphire due to smaller lattice mismatch when the thickness was below 150 nm. The effect of electrically degenerated layer on the carrier transport property increased with decreasing the film thickness of ZnO film. The carrier density and electron mobility of 20 nm-thick-ZnO film on either substrate were regardless of the temperature. We concluded that the dominant carrier scattering mechanism in ZnO ultra thin films is double Schottky barriers at the grain boundary and that their height depends on the carrier concentration.     

Investigations of ZnSe-ZnO structures,by using the electrooptical and Auger depth profile methods

Analysis of the ZnSe-oxide structures formed by anodic oxidation has been performed. Electrooptical properties were analysed as a function of parameters of anodic oxidation by means of the electroluminescence method. Surface properties of ZnSe with a ZnO layer were investigated by using an Auger depth profile analysis. A theoretical treatment of the results based upon the application of thermionic and tunneling theories to double Schottky diodes was assumed.     

背入射Au/ZnO/Al结构肖特基紫外探测器

设计制作了一种Au/ZnO/Al结构的紫外探测器,光的入射方式采用背入射式。ZnO薄膜是用磁控溅射在蓝宝石衬底上制备的。I-V测试表明:Au与ZnO形成了肖特基接触。得到探测器的光响应峰值在352nm,截止边为382nm,可见抑制比达一个量级。由于该探测器是一种垂直结构器件,对于进一步实现ZnO紫外探测器阵列及单光子探测有很好的研究价值。     

Nonstoichiometry and the electrical activity of grain boundaries in SrTiO3

A combination of experiments and first-principles calculations is used to show that grain boundaries in SrTiO3 are intrinsically nonstoichiometric. Total-energy calculations reveal that the introduction of nonstoichiometry into the grain boundaries is energetically favorable and results in structures that are consistent with atomic-resolution Z-contrast micrographs. Electron energy-loss spectra provide direct evidence of nonstoichiometry. These results and calculations for nonstoichiometric grain boundaries provide an explanation of the microscopic origin of the "double Schottky barriers" that dominate the electrical behavior of polycrystalline oxides.     

Low-threshold ZnO random lasing in a homojunction diode with embedded double heterostructure

An electrically pumped random laser diode was fabricated with a MgZnO/ZnO/MgZnO double heterostructure embedded in a ZnO pn junction. Gain can be achieved at very low-threshold current owing to exciton processes. Light closed loops are formed by random multiple scattering on vertical column boundaries in the thin film. The tilted and rough mesa edge planes serve as refraction mirrors, giving rise to surface emission.     

Direct Observation of the Barrier Structure of a Praseodymium-Doped Grain Boundary in a Zinc Oxide Bicrystal by Charge Collection Microscopy

A zinc oxide bicrystal, in which the grain boundary was doped with praseodymium oxide, was prepared by hot pressing. The grain boundary showed characteristic varistor breakdown. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) observation revealed that the amount of visible praseodymium oxide along the interface was variable. Charge collection microscopy, using the remote electron beam induced current (REBIC) configuration, was carried out and the grain boundary was found to be electrically active in the praseodymium oxide rich regions, showing contrast consistent with the presence of a double Schottky barrier (DSB). In Pr poor regions the DSB contrast was lost. The observations are consistent with the idea of barrier enhancement with doping in varistors.     

Electrical and microscopic characterization of ZnO films on p-SiC substrates

ZnO/p- SiC heterojunctions were fabricated by thermal evaporation from ZnO high quality powder (99.99%) onto 4H and 6H p-SiC polytypes. We find that, despite the low cost technique employed for the deposition of the ZnO film, the devices exhibited breakdown voltages in excess of 100 V, high rectification ratio (forward to reverse current ratio, I_F/I_R) and low leakage current, respectively, 2×10⁵ and 4.5×10⁻⁷ A/cm² (for the 4H p-SiC based device) and 5×10⁴ and 5×10⁻⁷ A/cm² (for the 6H p-SiC based device). The current-voltage (I×V) characteristics were also measured at the nanometer scale by means of conductive atomic force microscopy. A simple Schottky diode model and conductance divided by current versus conductance plots (G/I×G plots) was used to analyze device characteristics. This analysis shows that, when probing at the nanometric scale, fluctuations of the effective barrier height and/or surface states across individual grains or grain boundaries cause deviations from linear G/I×G plots. These fluctuations are smeared out when probing at the macroscale and thus it becomes possible to obtain linear plots and extract diode parameters.     

ZnO压敏陶瓷的介电谱

在-160℃-200℃温度范围内、0.1 Hz-0.1 MHz频率范围内测量了 ZnO压敏陶瓷的介电频谱, 发现可以采用电导率谱低频端的类直流特性来表征晶界Schottky势垒的电子输运过程, 获得的Schottky势垒高度为0.77 eV. 基于背靠背双Schottky势垒模型, 提出当存在直流偏压时, 势垒高度将随直流偏压线性增大. 基于此势垒模型计算了ZnO压敏陶瓷单晶界的直流偏压大小, 进而计算出晶粒平均尺寸为6.8 μm, 该理论值与通过扫描电子显微镜断面照片获得的测量值的偏差在5%以内. 可见采用介电谱不但可以获得势垒高度实现电气性能的表征, 还能获得晶粒尺寸实现显微结构的表征.     

Analysis of current-voltage characteristics of inhomogeneous Schottky diodes at low temperatures

Two approaches of Gaussian distribution of barrier heights in inhomogeneous Schottky diodes have been analyzed by comparing the results for consistency between the two. For this the current-voltage characteristics of inhomogeneous Schottky diodes have been generated by using analytically solved thermionic-emission diffusion equation incorporating Gaussian distribution of barrier heights and by direct numerical integration over a barrier height range. The differences in the results obtained in two approaches are discussed and it is shown that the two approaches yield current-voltage characteristics with slightly different features. The discrepancies in the results obtained in two approaches are attributed to the same series resistance assumed for all elementary barriers of the distribution. It is shown that assigning same series resistance to all barrier of the distribution in numerical integration approach causes current saturation at low bias and inhibits intersection of current-voltage curves from being observable which otherwise occurs in the curves obtained using analytical equation. The paper deals with these aspects in details.