Studies of minority carrier diffusion length increase in p-type ZnO:Sb

Minority electron diffusion length was measured in p-type, Sb-doped ZnO as a function of temperature using the electron beam induced current technique. A thermally induced increase of electron diffusion length was determined to have an activation energy of 184 +/- 10 meV. Irradiation with a low energy (5 kV) electron beam also resulted in an increase of diffusion length with a similar activation energy (219 +/- 8 meV). Both phenomena are suggested to involve a Sb-Zn-2V(Zn) acceptor complex. Saturation and relaxation dynamics of minority carrier diffusion length are explored. Details of a possible mechanism for diffusion length increase are presented. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.