Donor characterization in ZnO by thermally stimulated luminescence

Low temperature thermo-luminescence (TL) has been applied to measurements of the ionization energy of donors in ZnO. Three hydrogen-related donors were characterized with ionization energies of 36, 47, and 55 meV-values that are in complete agreement with previous reports. The donor types can be switched by relevant thermal treatments. This work shows that TL can be used to measure the donor energies in luminescent semiconductors in general. This approach can be particularly useful for thin-film investigations when the results of Hall-effect measurements are obscured by contributions from conductive interfaces or substrates. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.