Observed Effects on the Optical Properties of Mg-doped ZnO Thin Films Produced via Electrochemical Deposition

ORAL

Abstract

Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a semiconductor that has been studied extensively due to its ideal optical properties for applications in optoelectronics. This is due to its relatively large band gap of 3.37 eV and high exciton energy at room temperature. Using high-cost, cutting-edge techniques such as pulsed laser deposition (PLD) and metal organic vapor phase epitaxy (VPE), the band gap of Mg-doped ZnO alloys can be further tuned to as high as 7.8 eV, giving the material even more potential for deep UV applications. Here we report the growth and characterization of Mg-doped ZnO samples onto substrates such as Si, Al, and ITO, using a low-cost, low-temperature electrochemical method in solutions containing zinc nitrate hexahydrate and hexamethylenetetramine (HMT). By tuning various parameters in the growth process, such as the voltage, current density, growth time, and Mg concentration we were able to alter the ratio of Mg incorporated into the samples, and consequently shift the UV emission peak of the alloyed samples.

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Authors

  • Jordan Sperry

    Sonoma State University

  • Hongtao Shi

    Sonoma State University

  • Sergey Savrasov

    Hartnell College, Cal State Univ- Long Beach, University of California, Davis, School of Natural Science, University of California, Merced, Seagate Technology, Materials Science and Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan, University of California - Berkeley, University of Colorado, Boulder -- Dept of Physics, University of California, Berkeley -- Dept of Chemistry, UC Merced, California State University, Fresno, California Institute of Technology, California State University, Long Beach, La Canada Flintridge, CA, Department of Physics, Florida A\&M University, Tallahassee, FL-32307, Physical and Life Sciences, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA-94550, Cal State Univ East Bay, American River College, UC Santa Cruz, Notre Dame High School, Benedict College, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Tuskegee University, California State University, Dominguez Hills, Sonoma State University, Carnegie Observatories, University of California, Los Angeles, Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, UK, University of California, Santa Barbara, University of Alabama, MPIfR, Bonn, Germany, Stanford University, University of California - Davis