Band alignment determined by XPS for amorphous Zn(ON) thin films prepared by RF magnetron sputtering

IF 2.4 4区物理与天体物理 Q3 PHYSICS, CONDENSED MATTER

Solid State Communications Pub Date : 2025-10-11 DOI:10.1016/j.ssc.2025.116196

Minseok Kim , Ryota Fujimoto , Hiroshi Yanagi

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Amorphous semiconductors are characterized by the absence of long-range ordering and thereby lattice constants. Consequently, defects at the heterojunction interface caused by lattice mismatch are not a concern. In this study, amorphous Zn(ON) thin films with nitrogen contents of 4.4 %–6.0 % are fabricated via radio frequency magnetron sputtering. As the nitrogen content increases, the bandgap decreases from 1.8 to 1.5 eV. The amorphous Zn(ON) film shows the highest electron mobility and carrier concentration of 29.1 cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹ and 1.73 × 10²⁰ cm⁻³, respectively, indicating high mobility. The formation of the valence band maximum of amorphous Zn(ON) is attributed to the nitrogen 2p level being shallower than the oxygen 2p level. This results in an upshift in the valence band maximum in amorphous Zn(ON). Both the conduction band minimum and the valence band maximum of the Zn(ON) films are upshifted compared with those of ZnO. The results suggest that the electronic properties (valence band maximum) of amorphous Zn(ON) films can be tuned using N-doping, making them suitable for use in devices such as n-type a-Zn(ON)/p-Cu₂O heterojunction solar cells.

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用XPS测定射频磁控溅射制备的非晶Zn（ON）薄膜的能带对准

非晶半导体的特点是没有长程有序，因而没有晶格常数。因此，在异质结界面上由晶格失配引起的缺陷是不值得关注的。本文采用射频磁控溅射法制备了氮含量为4.4% ~ 6.0%的非晶Zn（ON）薄膜。随着氮含量的增加，带隙从1.8 eV减小到1.5 eV。无定形Zn（ON）薄膜的电子迁移率和载流子浓度最高，分别为29.1 cm2 V−1 s−1和1.73 × 1020 cm−3，表明其迁移率较高。非晶态Zn（ON）的价带最大值的形成是由于氮的2p能级比氧的2p能级浅。这导致非晶态Zn（ON）的价带最大值上升。与ZnO薄膜相比，Zn（ON）薄膜的导带最小值和价带最大值均有上移。结果表明，n掺杂可以调节非晶态Zn（ON）薄膜的电子性能（价带最大值），使其适合用于n型a-Zn(ON)/p-Cu2O异质结太阳能电池等器件。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Solid State Communications 物理-物理：凝聚态物理

CiteScore

3.40

自引率

4.80%

发文量

287

审稿时长

51 days

期刊介绍： Solid State Communications is an international medium for the publication of short communications and original research articles on significant developments in condensed matter science, giving scientists immediate access to important, recently completed work. The journal publishes original experimental and theoretical research on the physical and chemical properties of solids and other condensed systems and also on their preparation. The submission of manuscripts reporting research on the basic physics of materials science and devices, as well as of state-of-the-art microstructures and nanostructures, is encouraged. A coherent quantitative treatment emphasizing new physics is expected rather than a simple accumulation of experimental data. Consistent with these aims, the short communications should be kept concise and short, usually not longer than six printed pages. The number of figures and tables should also be kept to a minimum. Solid State Communications now also welcomes original research articles without length restrictions. The Fast-Track section of Solid State Communications is the venue for very rapid publication of short communications on significant developments in condensed matter science. The goal is to offer the broad condensed matter community quick and immediate access to publish recently completed papers in research areas that are rapidly evolving and in which there are developments with great potential impact.