Abstract

Controlling the formation of interstitial Na (Nai) self-compensating defects has been a long-term physics problem for effective Na doping in ZnO. Herein, we present an experimental approach to the suppression of Nai defects in ZnO via Na and F codoping under an oxygen-rich condition during the molecular beam epitaxy growth process. It is found that the incorporation of such large numbers of Na and F dopants (∼1020 cm−3) does not cause an obvious influence on the lattice parameters. Hall-effect measurements demonstrate that F doping efficiently raises the Fermi level (EF) of ZnO films, which is expected to make the formation energy of Nai and NaZn increase and decrease, respectively. Most of the Na atoms occupy the substitutional Zn sites, and the formation of Nai is suppressed consequently. Secondary ion mass spectrometry measurements reveal that F and Na atoms are tightly bonded together due to their strong Coulomb interaction. The enhanced deep level emission (DLE) in ZnO:Na-F is ascribed to the considerable amount of isolated Zn vacancy (VZn) defects induced by the elevated EF and the formation of neutral FO+−NaZn−0 complexes. On the other hand, formation of FO+−VZn2−− complexes in ZnO:F exhausts most of the isolated Zn vacancies, leading to the disappearance of the DLE band.

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