Deactivation of Li by vacancy clusters in ion-implanted and flash-annealed ZnO


Deactivation of Li by vacancy clusters in ion-implanted and flash-annealed ZnO

Borseth, T. M.; Tuomisto, F.; Cristensen, J. S.; Skorupa, W.; Monakhov, E.; Svensson, B. G.; Kuznetsov, A.

Li is present in hydrothermally grown ZnO at high concentrations and is known to compensate both n- and p-type doping due to its amphoteric nature. However, Li can be manipulated by annealing and ion implantation in ZnO. Fast, 20 ms flash anneals in the 900–1400 °C range result in vacancy cluster formation and, simultaneously, a low-resistive layer in the implanted part of the He- and Li-implanted ZnO. The vacancy clusters, involving 3-4 Zn vacancies, trap and deactivate Li, leaving other in-grown donors to determine the electrical properties. Such clusters are not present in sufficient concentrations after longer (1 h) anneals because of a relatively low dissociation barrier ~2.6±0.3 eV, so ZnO remains compensated until Li diffuses out after 1250 °C anneals.

Keywords: flash annealing; ion implantation; zinc oxide; lithium; vacancy cluster

  • Physical Review B 74(2006), 161202(R)

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Publ.-Id: 9332