Low temperature growth of ZnMnO: A way to avoid inclusions of foreign phases and spinodal decomposition

Abstract

The authors demonstrate herein that by lowering of a growth temperature they can obtain ZnMnO layers with homogeneous Mn distribution, which are free of Mn accumulations and inclusions of foreign phases due to other Mn oxides. These layers (with low Mn content fractions) show paramagnetic phase in room temperature magnetization measurements. Contribution of a high temperature ferromagnetic phase is missing, which the authors relate to blocking of spinodal decomposition of ZnMnO under controlled growth conditions of atomic layer deposition.

SEM, EDS and CL Investigations of ZnMnO and ZnCoO Layers Grown at Low Temperature by Atomic Layer Deposition

“…[2]), but this is believed now to be due to inclusions of foreign phases, which we also demonstrate in the present work, and metal accumulations rather than volume properties of these two ZnTMO materials (see e.g. [3,4] and references given there).…”

“…[2]), but this is believed now to be due to inclusions of foreign phases, which we also demonstrate in the present work, and metal accumulations rather than volume properties of these two ZnTMO materials (see e.g. [3,4] and references given there).Origin of the observed magnetic ordering remains often not clear. In the present work we employed scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-rays spectroscopy (EDS) and cathodoluminescence (CL) methods to investigate topography, uniformity (we also used secondary ions mass spectroscopy (SIMS)) and chemical composition of ZnTMO (TM stands here for Co and Mn) layers grown at low temperature by Atomic Layer Deposition.…”

“…In the present work we employed scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-rays spectroscopy (EDS) and cathodoluminescence (CL) methods to investigate topography, uniformity (we also used secondary ions mass spectroscopy (SIMS)) and chemical composition of ZnTMO (TM stands here for Co and Mn) layers grown at low temperature by Atomic Layer Deposition. Samples obtained at these conditions are uniform and show only paramagnetic response, as reported for ZnMnO in [3,4].…”

Zinc oxide for electronic, photovoltaic and optoelectronic applications

“…Our detail studies of ZnMnO clearly indicate that once TM is distributed uniformly ZnMnO is paramagnetic [18,19].…”

“…To get uniform TM distribution we applied technique of the ALD and a low growth temperature [19]. Low growth temperature turned out to be important also in the case of ZnMnO nanoparticles [20].…”