Epitaxial ZnO Thin Films on a-Plane Sapphire Substrates Grown by Ultrasonic Spray-Assisted Mist Chemical Vapor Deposition

Abstract

High-quality epitaxial ZnO thin films were grown by an ultrasonic spray-assisted mist chemical vapor deposition (CVD) on a-plane sapphire substrates with ZnO buffer layers. The ZnO thin films were grown with c-axis orientation without notable rotational domains. Surface morphologies and electrical properties were markedly improved as an effect of the ZnO buffer layers. The mobility in the ZnO epitaxial (main) layer was estimated to be 90 cm2/(V·s), which is reasonably high compared with those in ZnO layers grown by CVD processes. Photoluminescence at a low temperature (4.5 K) revealed a free A-exiton peak, and that at room temperature showed a strong band-edge peak with little deep-level luminescence.