Observation of Zn vacancies in ZnO grown by chemical vapor transport

We have used positron annihilation spectroscopy to study the vacancy defects in ZnO crystals grown by both the conventional and contactless chemical vapor transport (CVT and CCVT). Our results show that Zn vacancies or Zn vacancy related defects are present in as-grown ZnO, irrespective of the growth method. Zn vacancies are observed in CVT-grown undoped ZnO and (Zn,Mn)O. The Zn vacancies present in undoped CCVT-ZnO are the dominant negatively charged point defect in the material. Doping the material with As introduces also Zn vacancy-related defect complexes with larger open volume. (c) 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.