Phase separation in Ga and N co-incorporated ZnO films and its effects on photo-response in photoelectrochemical water splitting

Sudhakar Shet; Kwang Soon Ahn; Ravindra Nuggehalli; Yanfa Yan; John Turner; Mowafak Al-Jassim

doi:10.1016/j.tsf.2011.03.050

Phase separation in Ga and N co-incorporated ZnO films and its effects on photo-response in photoelectrochemical water splitting

Sudhakar Shet, Kwang Soon Ahn, Ravindra Nuggehalli, Yanfa Yan, John Turner, Mowafak Al-Jassim

Physics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

29 Scopus citations

Abstract

Ga and N co-incorporated ZnO thin films [ZnO:(Ga:N)] with reduced bandgaps were deposited by co-sputtering at different N₂ gas flow rate in mixed N₂ and O₂ ambient at room temperature followed by postannealing at 500 °C in air for 2 h. We found that all of the ZnO:(Ga:N) films exhibited enhanced crystallinity which can suppress the recombination rate between the photogenerated electrons and holes. However, phase segregation of Zn₃N₂ occurred in ZnO:(Ga:N) thin films in nitrogen-rich sputtering ambient. We found that ZnO:(Ga:N) thin films without phase separation of Zn₃N₂ exhibited much better photoelectrochemical (PEC) response, due to the reduced bandgap and better crystallinity. Our results suggest that growth conditions must be controlled carefully to avoid phase separation in Ga and N co-incorporated ZnO thin films to improve PEC response.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	5983-5987
Number of pages	5
Journal	Thin Solid Films
Volume	519
Issue number	18
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsf.2011.03.050
State	Published - Jul 1 2011

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Surfaces and Interfaces
Surfaces, Coatings and Films
Metals and Alloys
Materials Chemistry

Keywords

Band gap
Co-doping
Gas ambient
Phase separation
Photoelectrochemistry
Sputtering
X-ray diffraction
Zinc oxide

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10.1016/j.tsf.2011.03.050

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title = "Phase separation in Ga and N co-incorporated ZnO films and its effects on photo-response in photoelectrochemical water splitting",

abstract = "Ga and N co-incorporated ZnO thin films [ZnO:(Ga:N)] with reduced bandgaps were deposited by co-sputtering at different N2 gas flow rate in mixed N2 and O2 ambient at room temperature followed by postannealing at 500 °C in air for 2 h. We found that all of the ZnO:(Ga:N) films exhibited enhanced crystallinity which can suppress the recombination rate between the photogenerated electrons and holes. However, phase segregation of Zn3N2 occurred in ZnO:(Ga:N) thin films in nitrogen-rich sputtering ambient. We found that ZnO:(Ga:N) thin films without phase separation of Zn3N2 exhibited much better photoelectrochemical (PEC) response, due to the reduced bandgap and better crystallinity. Our results suggest that growth conditions must be controlled carefully to avoid phase separation in Ga and N co-incorporated ZnO thin films to improve PEC response.",

keywords = "Band gap, Co-doping, Gas ambient, Phase separation, Photoelectrochemistry, Sputtering, X-ray diffraction, Zinc oxide",

author = "Sudhakar Shet and Ahn, {Kwang Soon} and Ravindra Nuggehalli and Yanfa Yan and John Turner and Mowafak Al-Jassim",

note = "Funding Information: This work is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) under contract # DE-AC36-08GO 2 8308 .",

year = "2011",

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doi = "10.1016/j.tsf.2011.03.050",

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AU - Shet, Sudhakar

AU - Ahn, Kwang Soon

AU - Nuggehalli, Ravindra

AU - Yan, Yanfa

AU - Turner, John

AU - Al-Jassim, Mowafak

N1 - Funding Information: This work is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) under contract # DE-AC36-08GO 2 8308 .

PY - 2011/7/1

Y1 - 2011/7/1

N2 - Ga and N co-incorporated ZnO thin films [ZnO:(Ga:N)] with reduced bandgaps were deposited by co-sputtering at different N2 gas flow rate in mixed N2 and O2 ambient at room temperature followed by postannealing at 500 °C in air for 2 h. We found that all of the ZnO:(Ga:N) films exhibited enhanced crystallinity which can suppress the recombination rate between the photogenerated electrons and holes. However, phase segregation of Zn3N2 occurred in ZnO:(Ga:N) thin films in nitrogen-rich sputtering ambient. We found that ZnO:(Ga:N) thin films without phase separation of Zn3N2 exhibited much better photoelectrochemical (PEC) response, due to the reduced bandgap and better crystallinity. Our results suggest that growth conditions must be controlled carefully to avoid phase separation in Ga and N co-incorporated ZnO thin films to improve PEC response.

AB - Ga and N co-incorporated ZnO thin films [ZnO:(Ga:N)] with reduced bandgaps were deposited by co-sputtering at different N2 gas flow rate in mixed N2 and O2 ambient at room temperature followed by postannealing at 500 °C in air for 2 h. We found that all of the ZnO:(Ga:N) films exhibited enhanced crystallinity which can suppress the recombination rate between the photogenerated electrons and holes. However, phase segregation of Zn3N2 occurred in ZnO:(Ga:N) thin films in nitrogen-rich sputtering ambient. We found that ZnO:(Ga:N) thin films without phase separation of Zn3N2 exhibited much better photoelectrochemical (PEC) response, due to the reduced bandgap and better crystallinity. Our results suggest that growth conditions must be controlled carefully to avoid phase separation in Ga and N co-incorporated ZnO thin films to improve PEC response.

KW - Band gap

KW - Co-doping

KW - Gas ambient

KW - Phase separation

KW - Photoelectrochemistry

KW - Sputtering

KW - X-ray diffraction

KW - Zinc oxide

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Phase separation in Ga and N co-incorporated ZnO films and its effects on photo-response in photoelectrochemical water splitting

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