Structural and electrical properties of Zn1–xCux O thin films

Abstract

AbstractProducing p ‐type ZnO is one of the key issues in developing ZnO‐based electronic devices. The substitution of monovalent Cu ions on Zn sites have been theoretically proposed, and experimental studies were carried out using Zn1–xCux O with small Cu contents (x ≤ 0.1). However, material properties Zn1–xCux O with a large Cu content have not been revealed. In this article, we present the electrical properties of Zn1–xCux O thin films with large x up to 0.75 fabricated using a monovalent Cu source along with their structural properties, as deduced from elemental analyses and crystallographic studies. The experimental results derived from electrical conductivity and thermoelectric measurements are discussed with a focus on controllability of p ‐type conductivity, specifically under O‐rich conditions. Finally, carrier concentrations are discussed from the capacitance–voltage plots of p ‐Zn1–xCux O/n ‐Si heterojunction diodes. (© WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)