Growth of ZnTe:O Thin Films by Oxygen-Plasma-Assisted Pulsed Laser Deposition

摘要

We studied oxygen incorporation into ZnTe thin films with oxygen ambient and oxygen plasma during pulsed laser deposition (PLD). The ZnTe layers deposited by oxygen-plasma-assisted PLD under oxygen partial pressures showed the enhancement of visible absorption due to TeO_x formation by oxygen incorporation, which was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurement. The ZnTe:O thin films grown under oxygen ambient and plasma produced an energy band structure at about 0.5-0.8 eV below the ZnTe band edge, indicating strong radiative properties. The ZnTe:O samples showed the formation of intermediate bands and p-type semiconducting characteristics, which will be useful for intermediate/defect band solar cells.