The frequency-dependent AC photoresistance behavior of ZnO thin films grown on different sapphire substrates.

Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films were grown by pulsed layer deposition under an N2 atmosphere at low pressures on a- and r-plane sapphire substrates. Structural studies using X-ray diffraction confirmed that all films had a wurtzite phase. ZnO thin films on a- and r-plane sapphire have grown with orientations along the [0002] and [112[combining macron]0] directions, respectively. Room temperature photoluminescence measurements indicate that the presence of native point defects (interstitial zinc, oxygen vacancies, oxygen antisites and zinc vacancies) is more preponderant for ZnO thin films grown on the r-plane sapphire substrate than the sample grown on the a-plane sapphire substrate. Room temperature impedance spectroscopy measurements were performed in an alternating current frequency range from 40 to 105 Hz in the dark and under normal light. An unusual positive photoresistance effect is observed at frequencies above 100 kHz, which we suggest to be due to intrinsic defects present in the ZnO thin films. Furthermore, an analysis of the optical time response revealed that the film grown on the r-plane sapphire substrate responds faster (characteristic relaxation times for τ1, τ2 and τ3 of 0.05, 0.26 and 6.00 min, respectively) than the film grown on the a-plane sapphire substrate (characteristic relaxation times for τ1, τ2 and τ3 of 0.10, 0.73 and 4.02 min, respectively).

Electrical properties of ZnO single nanowires.

We have investigated the electrical resistance R(T) of ZnO nanowires of ≈ 400 nm diameter as a function of temperature, between 30 K and 300 K, and frequency in the range 40 Hz to 30 MHz. The measurements were done on the as-prepared and after low-energy proton implantation at room temperature. The temperature dependence of the resistance of the wire, before proton implantation, can be well described by two processes in parallel. One process is the fluctuation induced tunneling conductance (FITC) and the other the usual thermally activated process. The existence of a tunneling conductance was also observed in the current-voltage ([Formula: see text]) results, and can be well described by the FITC model. Impedance spectroscopy measurements in the as-prepared state and at room temperature, indicate and support the idea of two contributions of these two transport processes in the nanowires. Electron backscatter diffraction confirms the existence of different crystalline regions. After the implantation of H(+) a third thermally activated process is found that can be explained by taking into account the impurity band splitting due to proton implantation.

Conducting behavior of chalcopyrite-type CuGaS2 crystals under visible light.

Millimeter size high quality crystals of CuGaS2 were grown by chemical vapor transport. The highly ordered chalcopyrite structure is confirmed by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. According to energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy the composition of the crystals is very close to the formula CuGaS2. Room temperature photoluminescence measurements indicate the presence of an emission peak at about 2.36 eV that can be related to a donor-acceptor pair transition. The electrical resistance as a function of temperature is very well described by the Mott variable range hopping mechanism. Room temperature complex impedance spectroscopy measurements were performed in the alternating current frequency range from 40 to 10(7) Hz in the dark and under normal light. According to the impedance spectroscopy data the experimental results can be well described by two circuits in series, corresponding to bulk and grain boundary contributions. An unusual positive photoresistance effect is observed in the frequency range between 3 and 30 kHz, which we suggest to be due to intrinsic defects present in the CuGaS2 crystal.