Abstract
In this study, radio frequency magnetron sputtering was used to deposit nickel oxide thin films (NiO, deposition power of 100 W) and titanium-doped zinc oxide thin films (TZO, varying deposition powers) on glass substrates to form p(NiO)-n(TZO) heterojunction diodes with high transmittance. The structural, optical, and electrical properties of the TZO and NiO thin films and NiO/TZO heterojunction devices were investigated with scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns, UV-visible spectroscopy, Hall effect analysis, and current-voltage (I-V) analysis. XRD analysis showed that only the (111) diffraction peak of NiO and the (002) and (004) diffraction peaks of TZO were observable in the NiO/TZO heterojunction devices, indicating that the TZO thin films showed a good c-axis orientation perpendicular to the glass substrates. When the sputtering deposition power for the TZO thin films was 100, 125, and 150 W, the I-V characteristics confirmed that a p-n junction characteristic was successfully formed in the NiO/TZO heterojunction devices. We show that the NiO/TZO heterojunction diode was dominated by the space-charge limited current theory.
Highlights
Transparent electronics is an advanced technology concerning the creation of invisible electronic devices
the ZnO (TZO) thin films were deposited on 25 mm × 25 mm × 1 mm indium-tin oxide (ITO) glass (7 Ω/per square area) substrates; Nickel oxide (NiO) thin films were deposited on the TZO using a Syskey 13.56 MHz radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering system (Syskey Technology Ltd., Hsinch County, Taiwan)
For TZO thin films deposited at 75 W, the symmetrical I-V curve of the NiO/TZO heterojunction device is not a typical characteristic of a p-n junction diode
Summary
Transparent electronics is an advanced technology concerning the creation of invisible electronic devices. To realize transparent electronic and optoelectronic devices, transparent conducting oxides (TCOs) have been widely utilized [1,2,3]. Doped ZnO thin films are promising alternatives to replace indium-tin oxide (ITO) thin films as TCOs due to the former's stable electrical and optical properties. Aluminum (Al) [5], gallium (Ga) [6], and indium (In) [7,8] have been widely studied as dopants to enhance the n-type conductivity of ZnO-based thin films. ZnO-based TCO materials have numerous potential applications in electronic and optoelectronic devices, such as solar cells [9], light-emitting diodes [10], blue laser diodes [11], and flat-panel displays [12]. Trivalent cation-doped ZnO thin films present good electrical conductivity and transparency over the visible spectrum.
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