Jayaraj, M K(Institute of Materials Engineering Australasia Ltd, 2005)
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Abstract:
ZnGa2O4 spinel is a promising new UV transparent electronic conductor. Enhancing the electrical conductivity of this
potential oxide phosphor can make it a promising transparent conducting oxide. In this paper, we have investigated the
effects of processing and doping on the conductivity of semiconducting ZnGa2O4, particularly thin films. Crystalline
zinc gallate thin films have been deposited on fused quartz substrates employing the pulsed laser deposition (PLD)
technique at room temperature for an oxygen partial pressure of 0.1 Pa (0.001mbar). The films were found to be UV
transparent, the band gap of which shifted to 4.75eV on hydrogen annealing. The band gap of the oxygen stoichiometric
bulk powder samples (4.55eV) determined from diffuse reflection spectrum (DRS) shifted to 4.81eV on reduction in a
hydrogen atmosphere. The electrical conductivity improved when Sn was incorporated into the ZnGa2O4 spinel. The
conductivity of ZnGa2O4:Sn thin films was further improved on reduction.
Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films were deposited on quartz, silicon, and polymer substrates by pulsed laser deposition (PLD)
technique at different oxygen partial pressures (0.007 mbar to 0.003 mbar). Polycrystalline ZnO films were obtained at
room temperature when the oxygen pressure was between 0.003 mbar and .007 mbar, above and below this pressure the
films were amorphous as indicated by the X-ray diffraction (XRD). ZnO films were deposited on Al2O3 (0001) at
different substrate temperatures varying from 400oC to 600oC and full width half maximum (FWHM) of XRD peak is
observed to decrease as substrate temperature increases. The optical band gaps of these films were nearly 3.3 eV. A
cylindrical Langmuir probe is used for the investigation of plasma plume arising from the ZnO target. The spatial and
temporal variations in electron density and electron temperature are studied. Optical emission spectroscopy is used to
identify the different ionic species in the plume. Strong emission lines of neutral Zn, Zn+ and neutral oxygen are
observed. No electronically excited O+ cations are identified, which is in agreement with previous studies of ZnO plasma
plume.
Jayaraj, M K(American Institute of Physics, January 4, 2006)
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Abstract:
The radio frequency plasma generated during the sputtering of Indium Tin Oxide target using Argon
was analyzed by Langmuir probe and optical-emission spectroscopy. The basic plasma parameters
such as electron temperature and ion density were evaluated. These studies were carried out by
varying the RF power from 20 to 50 W. A linear increase in ion density and an exponential decrease
in electron temperature with rf power were observed. The measured plasma parameters were then
correlated with the properties of ITO thin films deposited under similar plasma conditions.
Optical emission spectroscopic studies were carried out on the plasma produced by ablation of zinc
oxide target using the third harmonic 355 nm of Q-switched Nd:YAG laser, in vacuum and at three
different ambient gas oxygen pressures. The spatial variations of electron density Ne and electron
temperature Te were studied up to a distance of 20 mm from the target surface. The kinematics of
the emitted particles and the expansion of the plume edge are discussed. The optimum conditions
favorable for the formation of high quality zinc oxide thin films are thereby suggested.
Heterojunction diodes of n-type ZnO/p-type silicon (100) were fabricated by
12 pulsed laser deposition of ZnO films on p-Si substrates in oxygen ambient at
13 different pressures. These heterojunctions were found to be rectifying with a
14 maximum forward-to-reverse current ratio of about 1,000 in the applied
15 voltage range of -5 V to +5 V. The turn-on voltage of the heterojunctions was
16 found to depend on the ambient oxygen pressure during the growth of the ZnO
17 film. The current density–voltage characteristics and the variation of the
18 series resistance of the n-ZnO/p-Si heterojunctions were found to be in line
19 with the Anderson model and Burstein-Moss (BM) shift.
Stable, OH free zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles were synthesized by hydrothermal method by varying the
growth temperature and concentration of the precursors. The formation of ZnO nanoparticles were confirmed by x-ray
diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) studies. The
average particle size have been found to be about 7-24 nm and the compositional analysis is done with inductively
coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) results shows that the
band gap of ZnO nanoparticles is blue shifted with decrease in particle size. Photoluminescence properties of ZnO
nanoparticles at room temperature were studied and the green photoluminescent emission from ZnO nanoparticles can
originate from the oxygen vacancy or ZnO interstitial related defects.
Transparent diode heterojunction on ITO coated glass substrates was fabricated using p-type AgCoO2 and n-type ZnO films by pulsed laser
deposition (PLD). The PLD of AgCoO2 thin films was carried out using the pelletized sintered target of AgCoO2 powder, which was synthesized
in-house by the hydrothermal process. The band gap of these thin films was found to be ~3.89 eV and they had transmission of~55% in the
visible spectral region. Although Hall measurements could only indicate mixed carrier type conduction but thermoelectric power measurements of
Seebeck coefficient confirmed the p-type conductivity of the grown AgCoO2 films. The PLD grown ZnO films showed a band gap of ~3.28 eV,
an average optical transmission of ~85% and n-type carrier density of~4.6×1019 cm− 3. The junction between p-AgCoO2 and n-ZnO was found
to be rectifying. The ratio of forward current to the reverse current was about 7 at 1.5 V. The diode ideality factor was much greater than 2.
Jayaraj, M K(Electrochemical Society, July 18, 2007)
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Abstract:
ZnGa2O4:Dy3+ phosphor thin films were deposited on quartz substrates by radio frequency rf magnetron sputtering and the effect
of substrate temperature on its structural and luminescent properties was investigated. Polycrystalline film could be deposited even
at room temperature. The crystalline behavior, Zn/Ga ratio, and surface morphology of the films were found to be highly sensitive
to substrate temperature. Under UV illumination, the as-deposited films at and above 300°C gave white luminescence even
without any postdeposition treatments. The photoluminescent PL emission can be attributed to the combined effect of multicolor
emissions from the single luminescence center Dy3+ via host-sensitization. Maximum PL emission intensity was observed for the
film deposited at 600°C, and the CIE chromaticity coordinates of the emission were determined to be x,y = 0.34, 0.31 .
Highly conductive and transparent thin films of amorphous zinc indium tin oxide are prepared at room temperature by co-sputtering of zinc
10 oxide and indium tin oxide. Cationic contents in the films are varied by adjusting the power to the sputtering targets. Optical transmission study of
11 films showed an average transmission greater than 85% across the visible region. Maximum conductivity of 6×102 S cm−1 is obtained for Zn/In/
12 Sn atomic ratio 0.4/0.4/0.2 in the film. Hall mobility strongly depends on carrier concentration and maximum mobility obtained is 18 cm2 V−1 s−1
13 at a carrier concentration of 2.1×1020 cm−3. Optical band gap of films varied from 3.44 eV to 3 eV with the increase of zinc content in the film
14 while the refractive index of the films at 600 nm is about 2.0.
Jayaraj, M K(Electrochemical Society, December 17, 2007)
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Abstract:
Highly transparent, luminescent and biocompatible ZnO quantum dots were prepared in water, methanol, and ethanol using
liquid-phase pulsed laser ablation technique without using any surfactant. Transmission electron microscopy analysis confirmed
the formation of good crystalline ZnO quantum dots with a uniform size distribution of 7 nm. The emission wavelength could be
varied by varying the native defect chemistry of ZnO quantum dots and the laser fluence. Highly luminescent nontoxic ZnO
quantum dots have exciting application potential as florescent probes in biomedical applications.
Jayaraj, M K(American Vacuum Society, January 8, 2008)
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Abstract:
Structural, electronic, and optical properties of amorphous and transparent zinc tin oxide films
deposited on glass substrates by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) were examined for two chemical
compositions of Zn:Sn=1:1 and 2:1 as a function of oxygen partial pressure PO2 used for the film
deposition and annealing temperature. Different from a previous report on sputter-deposited films
Chiang et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 86, 013503 2005 , the PLD-deposited films crystallized at a lower
temperature 450 °C to give crystalline ZnO and SnO2 phases. The optical band gaps Tauc gaps
were 2.80−2.85 eV and almost independent of oxygen PO2
, which are smaller than those of the
corresponding crystals 3.35−3.89 eV . Films deposited at low PO2
showed significant subgap
absorptions, which were reduced by postthermal annealing. Hall mobility showed steep increases
when carrier concentration exceeded threshold values and the threshold value depended on the film
chemical composition. The films deposited at low PO2
2 Pa had low carrier concentrations. It is
thought that the low PO2
produced high-density oxygen deficiencies and generated electrons, but
these electrons were trapped in localized states, which would be observed as the subgap absorptions.
Similar effects were observed for 600 °C crystallized films and their resistivities were increased by
formation of subgap states due to the reducing high-temperature condition. High carrier
concentrations and large mobilities were obtained in an intermediate PO2
region for the as-deposited films.
Jayaraj, M K(Electrochemical Society, February 18, 2008)
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Abstract:
The optical and carrier transport properties of amorphous transparent zinc indium tin oxide (ZITO)(a-ZITO) thin films and the
characteristics of the thin-film transistors TFTs were examined as a function of chemical composition. The as-deposited films
were very conductive and showed clear free carrier absorption FCA . The analysis of the FCA gave the effective mass value of
0.53 me and a momentum relaxation time of 3.9 fs for an a-ZITO film with Zn:In:Sn = 0.35:0.35:0.3. TFTs with the as-deposited
channels did not show current modulation due to the high carrier density in the channels. Thermal annealing at 300°C decreased
the carrier density and TFTs fabricated with the annealed channels operated with positive threshold voltages VT when Zn
contents were 25 atom % or larger. VT shifted to larger negative values, and subthreshold voltage swing increased with decreasing
the Zn content, while large on–off current ratios 107–108 were kept for all the Zn contents. The field effect mobilities ranged
from 12.4 to 3.4 cm2 V−1 s−1 for the TFTs with Zn contents varying from 5 to 48 atom %. The role of Zn content is also
discussed in relation to the carrier transport properties and amorphous structures.