We show that N-doped ZnO films grown on sapphire can exhibit significant (∼1018 cm−3) room-temperature p-type behavior when sufficient nitrogen (N) is incorporated and the material is annealed appropriately. Substitutional N on the oxygen (O) sublattice is a deep acceptor; however, shallow acceptor complexes involve N, H, and zinc vacancies (VZn). Combining secondary ion mass spectrometry, Raman-scattering, photoluminescence, and Hall-effect data, we establish the evolution of N from its initial incorporation on a Zn site to a final shallow acceptor complex VZn_NO_H+ with an ionization energy of ca. 130 meV. This complex is responsible for the observed p-type behavior.

The photoluminescence (PL) properties of ZnCdO alloy are investigated at various temperatures. Each PL profile contains four distinct peaks: P1, P2, P3, and P4. Peak P4 is due to free-excitonic recombination. The temperature mapping of the P3 peak position shows an S-shaped shift similar to the InGaN system due to the inhomogeneous distribution of Cd in ZnCdO alloy. The peak P2 is attributed to the phonon replica of the localized excitonic emission (P3). The linewidth of the photoluminescence profiles of the ZnCdO alloy is shown to depend on the concentration of Cd.

a b s t r a c tThe effect of Al doping concentration and oxygen ambient pressure on the structural and optical properties of chemical vapor deposition-grown, Al-doped ZnO nanowires is studied. As Al doping increases, the strength of the broad visible emission band decreases and the UV emission increases, but the growth rate depends on the oxygen pressure in a complex manner. Together, these behaviors suggest that Al doping is effective in reducing the number of oxygen vacancies responsible for visible emission, especially at low oxygen ambient pressure. The intensities and quantum efficiencies of these emission mechanisms are discussed in terms of the effect growth and doping conditions have on the underlying excitonic decay mechanisms.

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