A study of the properties of materials based on the wide bandgap zinc oxide semiconductor, which are promising for application in optoelectronics, photovoltaics and nanoplasmonics. The structural and optical properties of solid solution Zn1−xCdxO films with different cadmium content, are studied. The samples are grown using magnetron sputtering on sapphire backing. Low-temperature photoluminescence spectra revealed emission peaks associated with radiative recombination processes in those areas of the film that have varying amounts of cadmium. X-ray phase analysis showed the presence of a cadmium oxide cubic phase in these films. Theoretical studies of the solid solution thermodynamic properties allowed for a qualitative interpretation of the observed experimental phenomena. It is established that the growth of the homogeneous solid solution film is possible only at high temperatures, whereas regions of inhomogeneous composition can be narrowed through elastic deformation, caused by the mismatch of the film-backing lattice constants. The driving forces of the spinodal decomposition of the Zn1−xCdxO system are identified. Fullerene-like clusters of Znn−xCdxOn are used to calculate the bandgap and the cohesive energy of ZnCdO solid solutions. The properties of transparent conductive ZnO films, doped with Group III donor impurities (Al, Ga, In), are examined. It is shown that oxygen vacancies are responsible for the hole trap centers in the zinc oxide photoconductivity process. We also examine the photoluminescence properties of metal-ZnO nanocomposite structures, caused by surface plasmons.

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The undoped and Cd‐doped (0.4, 0.5 at.%) ZnO films deposited by radiofrequency magnetron sputtering have been irradiated by 167 MeV Xe26+ ions with energy to a fluence 3×1012 ions/cm2. The structure and vibrational properties of as‐grown and irradiated samples were studied using X‐ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy techniques. It was found that Cd‐doped ZnO films in comparison with undoped films demonstrate an improvement of crystal structure due to increased size of X‐ray coherent scattering regions, relaxation of strain between grains in the films and reduction of modes which relates to defects in ZnO crystal lattice. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Abstract. Transparent conductive oxide thin films of Al-doped ZnO grown by rf magnetron sputtering were irradiated with high energy electrons with the energy 12.6 MeV and fluence 5·10 14 e/cm 2 . The films were produced using different sputtering powers. It has been shown that electron irradiation creates defects that lead to distortions of the crystal lattice, which results in reduced crystallinity of the films. Also, it leads to film heating that results in radiation annealing and relaxation of the lattice.

Zinc oxide lms were grown on sapphire substrates by direct current magnetron sputtering and irradiated by electrons with energy 10 MeV and uences 10 16 and 2 × 10 16 cm −2 . As-grown and irradiated samples were investigated by X-ray diraction and photoluminescence spectroscopy. It was found that radiation causes the appearance of complex defects, reducing the size of coherent scattering regions and the increase of the defect PL band.