Fabrication and Electrical Properties of Transparent n‐ZnO:Al‐p‐NiO:Li Junction

Abstract

Transparent all oxide p‐n junction thin film diode nanostructures consisting of n‐type ZnO:Al and p‐type NiO was fabricated by pulsed laser deposition onto c‐sapphire substrate. Details of device fabrication will be presented. Combined GIXRD and AFM results confirm phase pure, mono‐dispersed 30 nm ZnO:Al and NiO:Li nanocrystallites with RMS roughness of the films were controlled to be that of NiO unit cell parameter. Better than 70% optical transparency is achieved across the 180 nm thick p‐n junction. The optical band gap across the junction was found to decrease as compare to the ITO and NiO. The current voltage (I‐V) characteristics show excellent rectifying characteristics with dynamic transfer resistance of the order of 104 in the forward bias condition. The observed rectifying I‐V properties were reproducible for several voltage sweeping cycles. The optical and electrical properties of oxide transparent diode offer variety of applications in oxide electronics and photonics.