AVS 52nd International Symposium
    Electronic Materials and Processing Tuesday Sessions
       Session EM-TuA

Paper EM-TuA2
Carbon Passivation Effect in ZnO Thin Film

Tuesday, November 1, 2005, 2:20 pm, Room 309

Session: Growth and Characterization of ZnO
Presenter: X. Li, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Authors: X. Li, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
S. Asher, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
C.L. Perkins, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
B.M. Keyes, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
S. Limpijumnong, Suranaree University of Technology, Thailand
S.B. Zhang, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
S.-H. Wei, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
T.J. Coutts, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
R. Noufi, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Correspondent: Click to Email
Carbon impurity is commonly found in thin films fabricated by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). The role of carbon in undoped and nitrogen-doped ZnO thin films was studied experimentally and theoretically to understand the possible compensation effect of carbon. ZnO thin films were fabricated by low-pressure MOCVD using diethylzinc and oxygen precursors. Nitrogen doping was achieved with nitric oxide (NO) gas. High levels of carbon incorporation were observed in the ZnO film, especially for nitrogen-doped ZnO film. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy observed the possible C-H@sub x@ (x=1, 2, and 3) defect complex in the unintentionally doped ZnO film. Both FTIR and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy observed the possible N-C defect complex in the nitrogen-doped ZnO. The first-principles calculations predict that the N-C defect complex is 1+ charge state. Therefore, the existence of carbon and the N-C defect complex could compensate the nitrogen acceptor species.