Surface Modification on the Sputtering-Deposited ZnO Layer for ZnO-Based Schottky Diode

We prepare a zinc oxide-(ZnO-) based Schottky diode constructed from the transparent cosputtered indium tin oxide- (ITO-) ZnO ohmic contact electrode and Ni/Au Schottky metal. After optimizing the ohmic contact property and removing the ion-bombardment damages using dilute HCl etching solution, the dilute hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and ammonium sulfide (NH4)(2)S-x solutions, respectively, are employed to modify the undoped ZnO layer surface. Both of the Schottky barrier heights with the ZnO layer surface treated by these two solutions, evaluated from the current-voltage (I-V) and capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurements, are remarkably enhanced as compared to the untreated ZnO-based Schottky diode. Through the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and room-temperature photoluminescence (RTPL) investigations, the compensation effect as evidence of the increases in the O-H and O-Zn acceptor defects appearing on the ZnO layer surface after treating by the dilute H2O2 solution is responsible for the improvement of the ZnO-based Schottky diode. By contrast, the enhancement on the Schottky barrier height for the ZnO layer surface treated by using dilute (NH4)(2)S-x solution is attributed to both the passivation and compensation effects originating from the formation of the Zn-S chemical bond and V-Zn acceptors.