Fabrication and characterization of n-ZnO:Eu/p-ZnO:(Ag, N) homojunction by spray pyrolysis

•The n-ZnO:Eu/p-ZnO:(Ag, N) homojunction is fabricated and characterized.•Low resistive and stable p-type ZnO films are achieved by dual acceptor-doping.•Homojunction with best dual-doped ZnO film shows good rectifying characteristics.•The fabricated ZnO homojunction is suitable for optoelectronic devices.

In the present study, the authors report the fabrication of ZnO homojunction by the deposition of 2 at.% Eu doped ZnO (n-ZnO:Eu) layer grown over the 4 at.% Ag–N dual acceptor doped ZnO (p-ZnO:(Ag, N)) layer by spray pyrolysis technique. The as-grown n-type and p-type ZnO films on glass substrates have been characterized by Hall measurements, X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), UV–vis and luminescence spectroscopy techniques. Hall measurement shows that 4 at.% ZnO:(Ag, N) film exhibits p-type conductivity with high hole concentration of 2.17 × 1018 cm−3 and n-type conductivity is observed in the ZnO:Eu film. The current–voltage characteristics measured from the two-layer structure show typical rectifying characteristics of p–n homojunction with a low turn on voltage of about 1.85 V.

Graphical abstractIn this paper authors report the fabrication of ZnO homojunction by the deposition of 2 at.% Eu doped ZnO (n-ZnO:Eu) layer grown over the 4 at.% Ag–N dual acceptor doped ZnO (p-ZnO:(Ag, N)) layer by spray pyrolysis technique. The as-grown n-type and p-type ZnO films on glass substrates have been characterized by Hall measurements, X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), UV–vis and luminescence spectroscopy techniques. Hall measurement shows that 4 at.% ZnO:(Ag, N) film exhibits p-type conductivity with high hole concentration of 2.17 × 1018 cm−3 and n-type conductivity is observed in the ZnO:Eu film. The current–voltage characteristics measured from the two-layer structure show typical rectifying characteristics of p–n homojunction with a low turn on voltage of about 1.85 V. I–V characteristics of the n-ZnO:Eu/p-ZnO:(Ag, N) homojunction.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide