6533b7dbfe1ef96bd12715e6

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Improved Cu2O/AZO Heterojunction by Inserting a Thin ZnO Interlayer Grown by Pulsed Laser Deposition

Roberto MacalusoM.s. AidaBartolomeo MegnaIsodiana CrupiMohamed KechouaneA. Boughelout

subject

Materials scienceScanning electron microscopeOxideCu2O02 engineering and technology01 natural sciencesPulsed laser depositionchemistry.chemical_compoundElectronic Electrical and Electronic Engineering0103 physical sciencesMaterials ChemistrySurface roughnessElectrical and Electronic EngineeringElectronic band structurepulsed laser depositionLeakage (electronics)010302 applied physicsbusiness.industryOptical and Magnetic MaterialAZOHeterojunction021001 nanoscience & nanotechnologyCondensed Matter PhysicsGrain sizeElectronic Optical and Magnetic Materialssolar cellchemistryZnOOptoelectronicsHeterojunction0210 nano-technologybusiness

description

Cu2O/ZnO:Al (AZO) and Cu2O/ZnO/AZO heterojunctions have been deposited on glass substrates by a unique three-step pulsed laser deposition process. The structural, optical, and electrical properties of the oxide films were investigated before their implementation in the final device. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that the materials were highly crystallized along the c-axis. All films were highly transparent in the visible region with enhanced electrical properties. Atomic force and scanning electron microscopies showed that the insertion of a ZnO layer between the Cu2O and AZO films in the heterojunction enhanced the average grain size and surface roughness. The heterojunctions exhibited remarkable diode behavior and good rectifying character with low leakage current under reverse bias. The presence of the ZnO interlayer film significantly reduced the parasitic and leakage currents across the barrier, improved the quality of the heterostructure, made the energy band between AZO and Cu2O layers smoother, and eliminated the possibility of interface recombination, leading to much longer electron lifetime.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-019-07195-6