Structural and electrical properties of Li-doped p-type ZnO thin films fabricated by RF magnetron sputtering

Li-doped p-type ZnO thin films were grown by using radio frequency magnetron sputtering. In our experiment, ZnO targets were fabricated by using the Li-doped ZnO powders that had been synthesized by glycine (urea)-nitrate combustion process. The structural characteristics of ZnO thin films were examined by XRD and SEM. The results showed that ZnO films possess a good crystalline with c-axis orientation, uniform thickness and dense surface. Current-voltage properties of p-ZnO:Li/n-Si structure had been examined in an effort to delineate the carrier type behavior in ZnO semiconductor. p-ZnO:Li/n-Si heterojunctions displayed rectifying behavior. As a result I-V measurements exhibited a polarity consistent with the Li-doped ZnO being p-type. (c) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.