{"title":"Ultrastable Zn3N2 Thin Films via Integration of Amorphous GaN Protection Layers","authors":"Elise Sirotti, Stefan Böhm, Ian D. Sharp","doi":"10.1002/admi.202400214","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Zinc nitride (Zn<jats:sub>3</jats:sub>N<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>) is a promising semiconductor for a range of optoelectronic and energy conversion applications, offering a direct bandgap of 1.0 eV, large carrier mobilities, and abundant constituent elements. However, the material is prone to bulk oxidation in ambient environments, which has thus far impeded its practical deployment. While previous approaches have focused on stabilizing the material via integration of ZnO surface layers, these strategies introduce additional challenges regarding elevated processing temperatures and limited control of interface properties. In this study, it is shown that amorphous GaN thin films can serve as highly stable protection layers on Zn<jats:sub>3</jats:sub>N<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> surfaces and can be deposited at the same growth temperature and in the same deposition system as the underlying semiconductor. The GaN‐capped Zn<jats:sub>3</jats:sub>N<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> structures exhibit long‐term stability, surviving over 3 years of exposure to ambient conditions with no discernible alterations in composition, structure, or electrical properties. Notably, the amorphous GaN coatings can even impede Zn<jats:sub>3</jats:sub>N<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> oxidation under prolonged aqueous exposure. Thus, this study offers a solution to stabilize Zn<jats:sub>3</jats:sub>N<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> in ambient conditions, providing a viable pathway to its utilization in robust and high‐performance electronic devices, such as thin film transistors and solar energy conversion systems.","PeriodicalId":115,"journal":{"name":"Advanced Materials Interfaces","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.3000,"publicationDate":"2024-06-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Advanced Materials Interfaces","FirstCategoryId":"88","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1002/admi.202400214","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"CHEMISTRY, MULTIDISCIPLINARY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Zinc nitride (Zn3N2) is a promising semiconductor for a range of optoelectronic and energy conversion applications, offering a direct bandgap of 1.0 eV, large carrier mobilities, and abundant constituent elements. However, the material is prone to bulk oxidation in ambient environments, which has thus far impeded its practical deployment. While previous approaches have focused on stabilizing the material via integration of ZnO surface layers, these strategies introduce additional challenges regarding elevated processing temperatures and limited control of interface properties. In this study, it is shown that amorphous GaN thin films can serve as highly stable protection layers on Zn3N2 surfaces and can be deposited at the same growth temperature and in the same deposition system as the underlying semiconductor. The GaN‐capped Zn3N2 structures exhibit long‐term stability, surviving over 3 years of exposure to ambient conditions with no discernible alterations in composition, structure, or electrical properties. Notably, the amorphous GaN coatings can even impede Zn3N2 oxidation under prolonged aqueous exposure. Thus, this study offers a solution to stabilize Zn3N2 in ambient conditions, providing a viable pathway to its utilization in robust and high‐performance electronic devices, such as thin film transistors and solar energy conversion systems.
期刊介绍:
Advanced Materials Interfaces publishes top-level research on interface technologies and effects. Considering any interface formed between solids, liquids, and gases, the journal ensures an interdisciplinary blend of physics, chemistry, materials science, and life sciences. Advanced Materials Interfaces was launched in 2014 and received an Impact Factor of 4.834 in 2018.
The scope of Advanced Materials Interfaces is dedicated to interfaces and surfaces that play an essential role in virtually all materials and devices. Physics, chemistry, materials science and life sciences blend to encourage new, cross-pollinating ideas, which will drive forward our understanding of the processes at the interface.
Advanced Materials Interfaces covers all topics in interface-related research:
Oil / water separation,
Applications of nanostructured materials,
2D materials and heterostructures,
Surfaces and interfaces in organic electronic devices,
Catalysis and membranes,
Self-assembly and nanopatterned surfaces,
Composite and coating materials,
Biointerfaces for technical and medical applications.
Advanced Materials Interfaces provides a forum for topics on surface and interface science with a wide choice of formats: Reviews, Full Papers, and Communications, as well as Progress Reports and Research News.