Low-resistivity, stable p-type ZnO thin films realized using a Li-N dual-acceptor doping method

A Li-N dual-acceptor doping method has been developed to prepare p-type ZnO thin films by pulsed laser deposition. The lowest room-temperature resistivity is found to be similar to 0.93 Omega cm, much lower than that of Li or N monodoped ZnO films. The p-type conductivity of ZnO:(Li,N) films is very reproducible and stable, with acceptable crystal quality. The acceptor activation energy in ZnO:(Li,N) is about 95 meV. ZnO-based homostructural p-n junctions were fabricated by depositing an n-type ZnO:Al layer on a p-type ZnO:(Li,N) layer, confirmed by secondary ion mass spectroscopy. The current-voltage characteristics exhibit their inherent rectifying behaviors. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.