Calculation of Carrier Electron Concentration in ZnO Depending on Oxygen Partial Pressure

  • Kim, Eun-Dong (Power Semiconductor Research Group, Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute) ;
  • Park, Jong-Mun (Power Semiconductor Research Group, Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute) ;
  • Kim, Sang-Cheol (Power Semiconductor Research Group, Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute) ;
  • Kim, Nam-Kyun (Power Semiconductor Research Group, Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute)
  • Published : 2000.05.13

Abstract

The relationship between carrier electron concentration(n) and atmosphere oxygen partial pressure($P_{O_2}$ for pure ZnO calculated by the mass-action law, well-known as n ${\propto}P^{-1/m}_{O_2}$ where m = 4 or 6 for the single or the double ionization of the native donor defects due to its nonstoichiometry, respectively, is found in competition with the calculation result on the basis that the total defect concentration is the sum of those of unionized and ionized defects. Definitively, it is found inconsistent with the calculation result by employing the Fermi-Dirac(FD) statistics for their ionization processes. By application of the FD statistics law to the ionization while assuming the defect formation is still ruled by the mass-action law, the calculation results shows the concentration is proportional to $P^{-1/2}_{O_2}$ whenever they ionize singly and/or doubly. Conclusively we would like to propose the new theoretical relation n ${\propto}P^{-1/m}_{O_2}$ because the ionization processes of donors in ZnO should be treated with the electronoccupation probability at localized quantum states in its forbidden band created by the donor defects, i.e. the FD statistics

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