The Luminescent Inhomogeneity and the Distribution of Zinc Vacancy-Related Acceptor-Like Defects in N-Doped ZnO Microrods

Vertically aligned N-doped ZnO microrods with a hexagonal symmetry were fabricated via the chemical vapor transport with abundant N2O as both O and N precursors. We have demonstrated the suppression of the zinc interstitial-related shallow donor defects and have identified the zinc vacancy-related shallow and deep acceptor states by temperature variable photoluminescence in O-rich growth environment. Through spatially resolved cathodoluminescence spectra, we found the luminescent inhomogeneity in the sample with a core-shell structure. The deep acceptor-isolated V-Zn and the shallow acceptor V-Zn-related complex or clusters mainly distribute in the shell region.