Fabrication of a n-ZnO/p-Si heterojunction diode by ultra-high vacuum magnetron sputtering

Heterojunction diodes of n-type ZnO were fabricated on a p-type Si(100) substrate using an ultra-high vacuum radio frequency magnetron sputtering method at room temperature. A short-time post-annealing process was performed to prevent inter-diffusion of Zn, dopants, and Si atoms. The post-annealing process at 600 °C enhanced the crystallinity of ZnO films and produced a high forward to reverse current ratio of the heterojunction diode with a barrier height of approximately 0.336 eV. A thin SiOx layer at the interface of the ZnO film and Si substrate appeared distinctly at the 600 °C annealing, however the post-annealing at 700 °C showed an a-(Zn2xSi1 − xO2) structure caused by diffusion of silicon into the ZnO film. In the n-ZnO/p-Si sample annealed at 700 °C, a rapid change in the barrier height was considered due to the effect of the dopant segregation from the substrate and deformation of the a-SiOx structure.

► Heterojunction diodes of n-ZnO/p-Si were studied.
► Post-annealing was done to improve n-ZnO film grown by sputtering method.
► The diode showed a good rectifying behavior with barrier height of 0.336 eV.
► Conduction mechanism was explained by a space-charge-limited-current.
► The barrier height was reduced by damaged a-SiOx and B diffusion.