Multifunctional zinc oxide thin films
Project financed by the Romanian National Authority for Scientific Research, UEFISCDI
Number: PN-II-ID-PCE-2011-3-0566; Contract number: 196 / 05.10.2011
Principal investigator: Dr. Magdalena Nistor
Summary
The aim of the project is to explore and develop an original approach for the growth of new advanced multifunctional oxide thin films with physical properties which could give rise to potential applications. We aim to demonstrate that by a precise control of the nature and concentration of dopants, the oxygen deficiency and structural defect density it is possible to tune the physical properties of oxide thin films and to give them new functionalities.
From the point of view of exploratory research, a model system has to be studied in order to check this approach, thus indium tin oxide and indium oxide thin films will be studied as transparent conducting electrodes and multifunctional films. However, due to their high cost and limited supply there is an urgent need to develop alternative materials with similar or better properties, one of the best candidates being zinc oxide.
In order to enhance an existing physical property or to induce a new one, undoped and doped zinc oxide thin films will be grown with twofold strategy: being a transparent and conducting electrode for Si solar cells and a conversion layer for the solar spectrum by the «down-shifting» phenomenon related to the presence of rare earth ions in the oxide matrix. Another main aspect of the project is to investigate the structure and microstructure of undoped and doped oxide films and the correlation with their optical, electrical and magnetic properties, in order to obtain oxide thin films presenting active properties for applications in the fields of photovoltaic and spintronics.
Objectives
-Growth and characterization of doped oxide thin films for transparent conducting electrodes with new functionalities
-The investigation of the role of nature and concentration of dopants, oxygen deficiency and defect density on the physical properties of doped oxide thin films in order to obtain films with specific functionalities
-Dissemination of the results: publication in international scientific ISI journals, presentations in major international conferences in the field
Research Team
National Institute for Lasers, Plasma and Radiation Physics (NILPRP)
Department of Plasma Physics and Nuclear Fusion
Plasma Chemistry and Advanced Functional Materials Group
Magdalena Nistor, project leader, PhD, senior researcher
Florin Gherendi, PhD, senior researcher, member of the team
Nicolae Bogdan Mandache, PhD, senior researcher, member of the team
Stefan Radan, technician, member of the team
International Cooperation:
Dr. J. Perriere, within a French-Romanian scientific cooperation agreement between NILPRP and INSP, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, France
Prof. E. Millon, GREMI, Université d’Orleans,France
W. Seiler, PIMM, Arts et Métiers ParisTech, Paris, France
Results
Phase I (Oct. 2011 – Dec. 2011)
In the first stage of the project undoped and doped oxide thin films were grown by pulsed electron beam method (PED) in function of different growth parameters in order to optimize the film properties. Precise measurements of the composition, crystalline quality and surface morphology of these oxide thin films were performed.
Report
Phase II (Jan. 2012 – Dec. 2012)
In the second stage of the project undoped and doped oxide thin films were grown and characterized by means of Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS), X-ray diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscopy, resistivity and Hall effect measurements at room temperature and/or in function of the temperature and optical measurements. The influence of the nature and concentration of dopants, oxygen deficiency and defect density on the physical properties of doped oxide thin films have been studied in order to obtain films with specific functionalities. The physical properties of doped zinc oxide films were compared to those of the model system, indium oxide thin films. Epitaxial oxide thin films have been grown with improved electrical and optical properties. The control of the oxygen incorporation in the oxide films induces very specific transport properties.
Report
Phase III (Jan. 2013 – Dec. 2013)
In the third stage of the project, oxide thin films with physical properties which could give rise to potential applications have been studied. Different oxide thin films have been grown and characterized by means of Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS), X-ray diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscopy, electrical and optical measurements. The correlation between the composition and structure of undoped and doped oxide films and their electrical and optical properties has been studied in order to obtain oxide thin films presenting active properties for applications in the photovoltaic field. The study of metal-semiconductor transition in these films and their interpretation in the frame of the quantum corrections to conductivity in disordered oxides has been also performed. Transparent self-assembled source–channel–drain structures (i.e. multifunctional thin films) were grown in a single deposition with a resistivity variation of a few orders of magnitude between the channel region to source–drain region leading to the fabrication of transparent thin film transistors.
Report
Phase IV (Jan. 2014 – Dec. 2014)
In the fourth stage of the project the studies were focused on the growth and characterization of multifunctional zinc oxide thin films. Optical properties of zinc oxide thin films grown under different conditions were investigated and discussed. High optical transparency in the visible range was obtained for multifunctional zinc oxide thin films. Measurements of the photoluminescence properties of the doped ZnO thin films have been performed demonstrating their role as active converting layer. Due to the very anisotropic expansion dynamics of the plasma plume, non-uniformities in film thickness, stoichiometry, lattice parameter and the texture of zinc oxide films were evidenced as a function of position on the substrate, i.e. on the oblique incidence of the ablated species.
Report
Phase V (Jan. 2015 – Dec. 2015)
In the fifth stage of the project the studies on the growth and characterization of multifunctional zinc oxide thin films were continued. The properties of Nd-doped ZnO films were tuned by growth to have either metallic or semiconductor characteristics, with good optical transmittance in the visible range. Moreover, a low-temperature metal-insulator transition was observed in films grown under low oxygen pressure. Resistivities as low as 6 × 10−4 Ω cm and 90% optical transmittance in the visible range and different near infrared transmittance are obtained with approximately 1.0–1.5 at.% Nd doping and growth temperature of 500 °C.
Report
Phase VI (Jan. 2016 – Dec. 2016)
In the sixth stage of the project the studies were focused on the growth and characterization of multifunctional zinc oxide thin films. Nd-doped ZnO films with highly tunable properties were grown by pulsed electron beam deposition at different temperature on Si and c-cut single crystal substrates. In particularly, Nd-doped ZnO films have been obtained either as transparent semiconductor and photon energy converter or as highly conductor without energy conversion. Details about results obtained in this Phase can be found in following paper RSC Adv., 2016, 6, 41465 presented in the Dissemination section. In conclusion, the objectives of Phase VI were realized, resulting multifunctional zinc oxide thin films for applications.
Report
Conclusion (Oct. 2011 – Dec. 2016)
All the objectives of the project were realized.
Dissemination
Publications
- M. Nistor, F. Gherendi, N.B. Mandache, Appl. Surf. Sci. 258, 9274 (2012)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2012.01.164
- E. Millon, M. Nistor, C. Hebert, Y. Davila and J. Perriere, J. Mater. Chem. 22, 12179 (2012)
http://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2012/JM/c2jm16753k
- M. Nistor, Rom.Rep.Phys. 64, 1313 (2012)
http://www.rrp.infim.ro/2012supliment.html
- M. Nistor, J. Perrière, Solid State Communications 163 60 (2013)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ssc.2013.03.020
- W.Seiler, M.Nistor, C.Hebert, J.Perrière, Solar Energy Materials&Solar Cells 116, 34 (2013)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2013.04.002
- F.Gherendi, M.Nistor, S.Antohe, L.Ion, I.Enculescu and N. B. Mandache, Semicond. Sci. Technol. 28 085002 (2013)
http://iopscience.iop.org/0268-1242/28/8/085002/
- F.Gherendi, M.Nistor,N.B.Mandache, J.Displ.Tech 9, 760 (2013)
http://www.opticsinfobase.org/jdt/abstract.cfm?uri=jdt-9-9-760
- F.Gherendi, J.Optoel. Adv. M. 15 (No. 11-12), 1463 (2013)
http://joam.inoe.ro/index.php?option=magazine&op=list&revid=81
- F.Gherendi, J.Optoel. Adv. M. 15 (No. 11-12), 1445 (2013)
http://joam.inoe.ro/index.php?option=magazine&op=list&revid=81
- J. Perrière, C. Hebert, N. Jedrecy, W. Seiler, O. Zanellato, X. Portier, R. Perez-Casero, E. Millon, and M. Nistor, J. Appl. Phys. 116, 123502 (2014);
http://scitation.aip.org/content/aip/journal/jap/116/12/10.1063/1.4896379
- M Nistor, W. Seiler, C. Hebert, E. Matei, J. Perriere, Appl.Surf.Sci. 307, 455 (2014).
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169433214008204
- M Nistor, E Millon, C Cachoncinlle, W Seiler, N Jedrecy, C Hebert and J Perrière, J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 48 195103 (2015) http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0022-3727/48/19/195103
- M. Nistor, L. Mihut, E. Millon, C. Cachoncinlle, C. Hebert, J. J.Perrière, RSC Adv. 6, 41465-41472 (2016)
http://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2016/ra/c6ra07669f#!divAbstract
Conferences
- M. Nistor, Y. Davila, C. Hebert, J. Perriere, E. Millon, X. Portier, Black zinc oxide thin films : growth by pulsed-laser deposition and properties, 2012, Poster, European Materials Research Society Spring Meeting (E-MRS 2012), 14-18 May 2012, Strasbourg, France
- M. Nistor, E. Millon, J. Perrière, Role of oxygen deficiency in nanocomposite oxide thin films for non-volatile memory devices , 2012, Poster, European Materials Research Society Spring Meeting (E-MRS 2012), 14-18 May 2012, Strasbourg, France
- F.Gherendi, M.Nistor, N.B.Mandache, The influence of an obstacle placed in the ablation plasma on the properties of oxide thin films, 2012, Poster, European Materials Research Society Spring Meeting (E-MRS 2012), 14-18 May 2012, Strasbourg, France
- W. Seiler, M. Nistor, C. Hebert, J. Perrière, Structural and physical properties of indium oxide thin films on c-cut sapphire substrates, 2012, Poster, European Materials Research Society Spring Meeting (E-MRS 2012), 14-18 May 2012, Strasbourg, France
- W. Seiler, M. Nistor, C. Hebert, J. Perrière, Epitaxial indium oxide thin films on c-cut sapphire substrates, 2012, Poster, 7th International Conference on Advanced Materials (ROCAM 2012), 28-31 August 2012, Brasov, Romania
- F.Gherendi, M.Nistor and N.B.Mandache, Thin film field effect transistors using paper as gate dielectric, 2012, Oral presentation,7th International Conference on Advanced Materials (ROCAM 2012), 28-31 August 2012, Brasov, Romania
- M. Nistor, E. Millon, J. Perrière, Novel functionalities in zinc oxide thin films grown by pulsed electron beam deposition, 2012, Poster, 4th International Symposium on Transparent Conductive Materials, 21-26 Oct. 2012, Herssonissos, Greece
- F.Gherendi, M.Nistor, N.B.Mandache, Comparative analysis of electrical properties of hybrid, homojunction and heterojunction thin film transistors, 2012, Oral presentation, 4th International Symposium on Transparent Conductive Materials, 21-26 Oct. 2012, Herssonissos, Greece
- M. Nistor, Transparent conductors obtained by pulsed electron deposition, 2012, Invited, Advanced Workshop on Solar Energy Conversion, 21-23 May 2012, Magurele-Bucharest, Romania
- M. Nistor, Croissance de couches minces par ablation par faisceau pulsé d’électrons 2012, Ecole thématique Revetements R3D (CNRS) du 11 au 14 juin 2012, Autrans, France
- F. Gherendi, M. Nistor and N.B.Mandache, In2O3 Thin Film Paper Transistors, 2012, Poster, 8th International Thin-Film Transistor Conference, 30-31 January 2012, Lisbon, Portugal
- M. Nistor, E. Millon, C. Cachoncinlle, W. Seiler, C. Hebert, J. Perrière, Multifunctional Nd-doped ZnO thin films, 2013, Poster, European Materials Research Society Spring Meeting (E-MRS 2013), 27-31 May 2013, Strasbourg, France
- M.Nistor, W.Seiler, M.M.Gugiu, C.Hebert, E.Millon, J.Perriere, Epitaxial Nd:ZnO thin films with inclined c-axis grown on c-cut sapphire substrates, 2013,Poster, European Materials Research Society Spring Meeting (E-MRS 2013), 27-31 May 2013, Strasbourg, France
- M.Nistor, W.Seiler, C.Hebert,Tuning of the properties of indium oxide thin films by the gas ambient during growth, 2013, Poster, European Materials Research Society Spring Meeting (E-MRS 2013), 27-31 May 2013, Strasbourg, France
- J. Perriere, C. Hebert, W. Seiler, M. Nistor, E. Millon, Uniform oxide films by PLD on large dimensions : reality or utopia?, 2013, Poster, European Materials Research Society Spring Meeting (E-MRS 2013), 27-31 May 2013, Strasbourg, France
- M.Nistor, W.Seiler, E.Millon, C.Hebert, J.Perriere, Tailoring of c-axis orientation of Nd doped ZnO thin films by oblique angle deposition, 2013, Poster, 16th International Conference on Plasma Physics and Applications, 16th CPPA 2013, June 20-25, Magurele, Bucharest, Romania
- F. Gherendi, M. Nistor, N.B.Mandache, Growth of oxide thin films by pulsed electron deposition with an obstacle placed in the plasma plume, 2013, Oral presentation,16th International Conference on Plasma Physics and Applications, 16th CPPA 2013, June 20-25, Magurele, Bucharest, Romania
- M. Nistor, E. Millon, C. Cachoncinlle, W. Seiler, N. Jedrecy, C. Hebert, J. Perrière, Optical and electrical properties of Nd doped ZnO thin films, European Materials Research Society Spring Meeting (E-MRS 2014), 26-30 May 2014, Lille, France
- C. Hebert, N. Jedrecy, J. Perrière, E. Millon, M. Nistor, W. Seiler, Growth and properties of Zn-Fe oxide thin films, European Materials Research Society Spring Meeting (E-MRS 2014), 26-30 May 2014, Lille, France
- M. Nistor, E. Millon, W. Seiler, J. Perrière, Effects of the anisotropy of pulsed energy beam deposition on ZnO thin film properties, European Materials Research Society Spring Meeting (E-MRS 2014), 26-30 May 2014, Lille, France
- M.Nistor, W.Seiler, C.Hebert, J.Perrière, Optical and electrical properties of epitaxial indium oxide thin films, Electroceramics XIV Conference, 15-20 June 2014, Bucharest, Romania
- M.Nistor, J.Perrière, Metal-Insulator Transition in Oxygen Deficient Oxide Films, Electroceramics XIV Conference, 15-20 June 2014, Bucharest, Romania
- Florin Gherendi, Magdalena Nistor, Nicolae B. Mandache, The effect of an obstacle in the ablation plasma on the electrical properties of the oxide thin films, 20th International Conference on Gas Discharge and their applications, 6-11 July 2014, Orleans, France
- M. Nistor, J. Perrière, C. Hebert, N. Jedrecy, W. Seiler, O. Zanellato, X. Portier, R.Perez-Casero, E. Millon, Evidence of structural heterogeneities in ZnO thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition, 8th International Conference on Advanced Materials (ROCAM 2015), 7-10 July 2015, Bucharest, Romania
- F.Gherendi, M.Nistor and N.B.Mandache, Multi-layer and self-assembled In2O3 thin film transistors produced by pulsed electron beam deposition, 8th International Conference on Advanced Materials (ROCAM 2015), 7-10 July 2015, Bucharest, Romania
- F.Gherendi, M.Nistor and N.B.Mandache, Tunable electrical properties of large area ZnO thin films grown at room temperature, European Materials research Society (E-MRS) Spring Meeting 2015, 11-15 May 2015, Lille, France
- M. Nistor, C. Hebert, J Perriere, E. Millon, N. Jedrecy, Transparent Nd doped ZnO thin films on MgO(001): from semiconductor to metal, European Materials research Society (E-MRS) Spring Meeting 2015, 11-15 May 2015, Lille, France
- C. Hebert, N. Jedrecy, J. Perrière, E. Millon, M. Nistor, Structural and physical properties of Zn1-xFexO thin films, European Materials research Society (E-MRS) Spring Meeting 2015, 11-15 May 2015, Lille, France
- M. Nistor, F.Gherendi, L.Mihut, E. Millon, C. Cachoncinlle, C. Hebert, J. Perrière, From transparent conducting to photon down-shifting Nd doped ZnO thin films, European Materials research Society (E-MRS) Spring Meeting 2016, 2-6 May 2016, Lille, France
- M. Nistor, The composition – property relationship of oxide thin films using Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry, prezentare invitata la Carpathian Summer School of Physics 2016, Exotic Nuclei and Nuclear/Particle Astrophysics (VI). Physics with small accelerators, June 26th – July 9th, 2016, Sinaia, Romania
- M. Nistor, L.Mihut, E. Millon, C. Cachoncinlle, J. Perrière, From transparent conducting oxide to photon down-shifting doped zinc oxide thin films, 16th International Balkan Workshop on Applied Physics and Materials Science, Constanta, Romania, 7-9 July, 2016
- M. Nistor, Ablation with electrons versus photons for thin film growth, prezentare orala in simpozionul Y “Pulsed-laser deposition of thin films : 30 years of fundamentals, innovative materials and applications”, European Materials Research Society Fall Meeting 2016, 18.09–22.09.2016, Varsovia, Polonia
- M.Nistor, W.Seiler, C.Hebert, J.Perrière, Epitaxial indium oxide thin films grown by pulsed electron beam deposition, (poster in simpozionul M Transparent conducting and semiconducting oxides and their applications), European Materials Research Society Fall Meeting 2016, 18.09–22.09.2016, Varsovia, Polonia
- M. Nistor, F. Gherendi, E. Millon, Jacques Perrière, Optical and electrical properties of rare earth doped ZnO thin films for solar cell devices, 6th International Symposium on Transparent Conductive Materials (TCM 2016), 08–13.10.2016, Greece
- F.Gherendi, N.B.Mandache, L.Ion, M. Nistor, ZnO thin films grown with spatially tuned electrical and optical properties at room temperature, 6th International Symposium on Transparent Conductive Materials (TCM 2016), 08 –13.10.2016, Greece
Contact person
Dr. Magdalena Nistor, Senior researcher (CS I)
National Institute for Lasers, Plasma and Radiation Physics,
Department of Plasma Physics and Nuclear Fusion,
Plasma Chemistry and Advanced Functional Materials Group
Str. Atomistilor 409, 07725 Magurele-Bucharest, Romania
Tel / fax: +4021 4574490
E-mail: mnistor (at) infim.ro