Transport and structural characterization of solution-processable doped ZnO nanowires

The use of ZnO nanowires has become a widespread topic of interest in optoelectronics. In order to correctly assess the quality, functionality, and possible applications of such nanostructures it is important to accurately understand their electrical and optical properties. Aluminum- and gallium-doped crystalline ZnO nanowires were synthesized using a low-temperature solution-based process, achieving dopant densities of the order of 1020 cm-3. A non-contact optical technique, photothermal deflection spectroscopy, is used to characterize ensembles of ZnO nanowires. By modeling the free charge carrier absorption as a Drude metal, we are able to calculate the free carrier density and mobility. Determining the location of the dopant atoms in the ZnO lattice is important to determine the doping mechanisms of the ZnO nanowires. Solid-state NMR is used to distinguish between coordination environments of the dopant atoms.

[1]  Alberto Salleo,et al.  Intrinsic and Doped Zinc Oxide Nanowires for Transparent Electrode Fabrication via Low-Temperature Solution Synthesis , 2009 .

[2]  Dejie Li,et al.  Effect of Vacuum Annealing on the Properties of Transparent Conductive AZO Thin Films Prepared by DC Magnetron Sputtering , 2002 .

[3]  Chris G. Van de Walle,et al.  Hydrogen as a shallow center in semiconductors and oxides , 2003 .

[4]  Tadatsugu Minami,et al.  Substitution of transparent conducting oxide thin films for indium tin oxide transparent electrode applications , 2008 .

[5]  Yukio Hinatsu,et al.  Dynamics of the Cation Mixing of MgAl2O4 and ZnAl2O4 Spinel , 1999 .

[6]  Byung-Ok Park,et al.  Characteristics of Al-doped ZnO thin films obtained by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis: effects of Al doping and an annealing treatment , 2004 .

[7]  Peidong Yang,et al.  Probing the local coordination environment for transition metal dopants in zinc oxide nanowires. , 2007, Nano letters.

[8]  R. M. Mehra,et al.  Doping mechanism in aluminum doped zinc oxide films , 2004 .

[9]  Horst Hahn,et al.  Synthesis and local structure of doped nanocrystalline zinc oxides , 2006 .

[10]  Zhong Lin Wang.  Zinc oxide nanostructures: growth, properties and applications , 2004 .

[11]  Koichi Eguchi,et al.  Thermoelectric properties of Al-doped ZnO as a promising oxide material for high-temperature thermoelectric conversion , 1997 .

[12]  J. Horwitz,et al.  Effect of aluminum doping on zinc oxide thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition for organic light-emitting devices , 2000 .

[13]  P. Yang,et al.  Solution-Grown Zinc Oxide Nanowires , 2006 .

[14]  Maurizio Martino,et al.  Zinc oxide nanostructures grown by pulsed laser deposition , 2008 .