J.M. Nel

Effects of hydrogen, oxygen, and argon annealing on the electrical properties of ZnO and ZnO devices studied by current-voltage, deep level transient spectroscopy, and Laplace DLTS

Effects of annealing ZnO in hydrogen, oxygen, and argon have been investigated using deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) and Laplace-DLTS (LDLTS) measurements. Current-voltage (IV) measurements indicate a decrease in zero–bias barrier height for all the annealed samples. Conventional DLTS measurements reveal the presence of three prominent peaks in the un-annealed and annealed samples. A new peak with an activation enthalpy of 0.60 eV has been observed in the H2 annealed samples, while an estimated energy level of 0.67 eV has been observed in Ar annealed samples. O2 annealing does not introduce new peaks but causes a decrease in the concentration of the E3 peak and an increase in concentration of the E1 peak. The concentrations of all the intrinsic defects have decreased after H2 and Ar annealing; with Ar annealing giving peaks with the lowest concentrations. The E2 peak anneals out after annealing ZnO in Ar and H2 at 300 °C. From the annealing behaviour of E3, we have attributed to transition metal ...

Electrical characterization of defects introduced in n-Ge during electron beam deposition or exposure

Schottky barrier diodes prepared by electron beam deposition (EBD) on Sb-doped n-type Ge were characterized using deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS). Pt EBD diodes manufactured with forming gas in the chamber had two defects, E0.28 and E0.31, which were not previously observed after EBD. By shielding the samples mechanically during EBD, superior diodes were produced with no measureable deep levels, establishing that energetic ions created in the electron beam path were responsible for the majority of defects observed in the unshielded sample. Ge samples that were first exposed to the conditions of EBD, without metal deposition (called electron beam exposure herein), introduced a number of new defects not seen after EBD with only the E-center being common to both processes. Substantial differences were noted when these DLTS spectra were compared to those obtained using diodes irradiated by MeV electrons or alpha particles indicating that very different defect creation mechanisms are at play when too ...

A comparative study of the electrical properties of Pd/ZnO Schottky contacts fabricated using electron beam deposition and resistive/thermal evaporation techniques

very low reverse currents of the order of 10 � 10 A at a reverse voltage of 1.0 V whereas the e-beam deposited contacts have reverse currents of the order of 10 � 6 A at 1.0 V. Average ideality factors have been determined as (1.43 60.01) and (1.66 60.02) for the resistively evaporated contacts and e-beam deposited contacts, respectively. The IV barrier heights have been calculated as (0.721 60.002) eV and (0.624 60.005) eV for the resistively evaporated and e-beam deposited contacts, respectively. Conventional DLTS measurements reveal the presence of three prominent defects in both the resistive and e-beam contacts. Two extra peaks with energy levels of 0.60 and 0.81 eV below the conduction band minimum have been observed in the e-beam deposited contacts. These have been explained as contributing to the generation recombination current that dominates at low voltages and high leakage currents. Based on the reverse current at 1.0 V, the degree of rectification, the dominant current transport mechanism and the observed defects, we conclude that the resistive evaporation technique yields better quality Schottky contacts for use in solar cells and ultraviolet detectors compared to the e-beam deposition technique. The 0.60 eV has been identified as possibly related to the unoccupied level for the doubly charged oxygen vacancy, Vo 2þ . V C 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3658027]

Effects of high temperature annealing on single crystal ZnO and ZnO devices

We have systematically investigated the effects of high-temperature annealing on ZnO and ZnO devices using current voltage, deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) and Laplace DLTS measurements. Current–voltage measurements reveal the decrease in the quality of devices fabricated on the annealed samples, with the high-temperature annealed samples yielding devices with low barrier heights and high reverse currents. DLTS results indicate the presence of three prominent defects in the as-received samples. Annealing the ZnO samples at 300 °C, 500 °C, and 600 °C in Ar results in an increase in reverse leakage current of the Schottky contacts and an introduction of a new broad peak. After 700 °C annealing, the broad peak is no longer present, but a new defect with an activation enthalpy of 0.18 eV is observed. Further annealing of the samples in oxygen after Ar annealing causes an increase in intensity of the broad peak. High-resolution Laplace DLTS has been successfully employed to resolve the closely spaced ...

Electronic properties of shallow level defects in ZnO grown by pulsed laser deposition

We have used deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) to characterise four defects with shallow levels in ZnO grown by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). These defects all have DLTS peaks below 100 K From DLTS measurements and Arrhenius plots we have calculated the energy levels of these defects as 31 meV, 64 meV, 100 meV and 140 meV, respectively, below the conduction band. The 100 meV defect displayed metastable behaviour: Annealing under reverse bias at temperatures of above 130 K introduced it while annealing under zero bias above 110 K removed it. The 64 meV and 140 meV defects exhibited a strong electric field assisted emission, indicating that they may be donors.

Defects induced by solid state reactions at the tungsten-silicon carbide interface

Defects introduced by the solid state reactions between tungsten and silicon carbide have been studied using deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) and Laplace DLTS. W/4H-SiC Schottky barrier diodes were isochronally annealed in the 100–1100 °C temperature range. Phase composition transitions and the associated evolution in the surface morphology were investigated using x-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). After annealing at 1100 °C, the E0.08, E0.15, E0.23, E0.34, E0.35, E0.61, E0.67, and E0.82 defects were observed. Our study reveals that products of thermal reactions at the interface between tungsten and n-4H-SiC may migrate into the semiconductor, resulting in electrically active defect states in the bandgap.Defects introduced by the solid state reactions between tungsten and silicon carbide have been studied using deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) and Laplace DLTS. W/4H-SiC Schottky barrier diodes were isochronally annealed in the 100–1100 °C temperature range. Phase composition transitions and the associated evolution in the surface morphology were investigated using x-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). After annealing at 1100 °C, the E0.08, E0.15, E0.23, E0.34, E0.35, E0.61, E0.67, and E0.82 defects were observed. Our study reveals that products of thermal reactions at the interface between tungsten and n-4H-SiC may migrate into the semiconductor, resulting in electrically active defect states in the bandgap.

RBS investigation of annealed thin gold layers on crystalline germanium

In this work we report firstly on the behaviour of Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs) when subjected to thermal treatment after metallization. To better understand this, a systematic study of the interaction between thin gold films and crystalline germanium substrates was undertaken. Gold metal films having thicknesses of 30 and 100 nm have been prepared by means of thermal evaporation on bulk-grown (111) n-type germanium doped with Sb to a level of 2.5×10 15 cm -3 . Before metallization the samples were first degreased and then etched in a mixture of H2O2:H2O (1:5) for one minute. Subsequently the samples have been thermally treated in Ar-atmosphere for 10 minutes and at temperatures ranging from 300 to 600°C. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) has been performed to estimate the composition of the as-deposited and thermally treated films. It was found, that the composition of the as- deposited film remains unchanged under thermal treatment up to 340°C. Between 340°C and 360°C a gold-rich layer containing a very small amount of germanium is formed. At 361°C this layer suddenly converts to a germanium-rich layer with a small amount of gold. This transition is accompanied by the formation of agglomerates on the surface of the substrate.

Electrical characterization of as-grown and particle irradiated n-type bulk ZnO

Nickel oxide/ZnO structures and Ru Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs) on ZnO were used as rectifying contacts to study defects in ZnO by deep level transient spectroscopy DLTS. In the as-grown bulk Zn DLTS measurements revealed the presence of three major electron traps with levels at 0.04 eV, 0.12 eV and 0.29 eV below the conduction band, respectively. The shallowest of these levels may be the same level previously detected by Hall measurements, EPR and ENDOR, shown to be hydrogen-related. 5.4 MeV alpha particle bombardment introduced two additional deep electron traps at 0.54 eV and 0.93 eV below the conduction band, respectively. We speculate that one of these may be the oxygen vacancy, V/sub O/, predicted by theory to be a deep donor level. From these particle radiation studies we found that ZnO is about two orders of magnitude more radiation hard than GaN for identical radiation conditions.