Fabrication of Zinc Nitride and Zinc-Oxy-Nitride Thin Films for Photovoltaic and Optoelectronic Applications

本课题的目的是制备氮化锌、氧氮化锌及其异质结构，同时提高对其结构、界面和表面性质的基本认识。氮化锌和氧氮化体系是一种环境友好的低成本半导体材料，具有广阔的应用前景。这一提议结合了好材料制造和表面工程的几个关键方面：(i)锌膜的反应溅射沉积和氮化，这使得控制成分，以及合成多层结构，用于研究氮化锌，氧氮化锌和氧化锌之间的界面。（ii）通过各种实验技术来确定生长的薄膜的性质，从而导致生长参数、所得薄膜结构及其物理性质之间的相互关系。（iii）对生长膜的结构、能量、电子和光学特性进行了协同实验和理论研究。制造装置相关结构的技术方法和程序预计是这项工作的成果。如果成功，本研究结果将为开发基于氮化锌和氧氮化锌材料体系的新型薄膜光伏器件创造机会。相关的技术影响来自于这种材料系统在可再生太阳能和节省成本的光电设备上的广泛适用性。该项目还将通过托莱多大学的物理和工程研讨会，向中西部地区的高中生提供重要的外展内容。预计每年春季和秋季学期将有70-80名学生参加活动。拟议的外展计划将为代表性不足的社区和女学生创造更多的学习机会。这样的活动将增加他们对科学和工程事业的兴趣和动力。

The objective of this proposal is to fabricate zinc nitride, zinc oxy-nitride and their hetero-structures while enhancing the fundamentals understanding of their the structure, interface, and surface properties. The zinc nitride and oxy-nitride system is an environmentally benign and potentially low-cost semiconductor material which shows much promise. This proposal brings together several key aspects of good materials manufacturing and surface engineering: (i) The reactive sputtering-deposition and nitridation of zinc films, which enables control of composition, as well as synthesis of multilayer structures for the study of interfaces between zinc nitride, zinc oxy-nitrides, and zinc oxide. (ii) The determination of the properties of the thin films so grown by a variety of experimental techniques, leading to a cross-correlation between the growth parameters, the resulting film structure and its physical properties. (iii) A synergistic experimental and theoretical investigation of structural, energetic, electronic, and optical properties of the grown films. (iv) Technological approaches and procedure to fabricate device-relevant structures are expected be outcomes of this work. If successful, the results of this research will create an opportunity to develop new class of thin film photovoltaic devices based on zinc nitride and zinc oxy-nitride material system. Pertinent technological impact comes from the significantly wide applicability of this material system for renewable solar energy and cost saving opto-electronic devices. The project will also have a significant outreach component to high school students in the Midwest region through physics and engineering workshops at The University of Toledo. It is expected that 70-80 students will attend the events in the spring and fall semesters each year. The proposed outreach program will create more learning opportunities for underrepresented communities and female students. Such activities will increase their interesting and motivation for careers in science and engineering.