High carrier concentration p-type transparent conducting oxide films

• US 6,908,782 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2001
• Issued: 06/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alliance For Sustainable Energy LLC
• Original Assignee: Midwest Research Institute
• Inventors: Zhang, Shengbai, Yan, Yanfa
• Primary Examiner(s): Kang, Donghee
• Application Number:
  US10/344,446
• Publication Number:
  US 20040061114A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,404 Days
• Field of Search: 257/43, 257/79, 257/80, 257/102, 438 85- 86, 438/104, 438/754, 438/603, 438/608, 438/22, 438/30, 438/46, 428/432, 428/642
• US Class Current: 438/85
• CPC Class Codes: C01G 9/02 Oxides; Hydroxides
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/407 of zinc, germanium, cadmium, indium, tin, thallium or bismuth
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/022466 made of transparent conductive layers, e.g. TCO, ITO layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/022483 composed of zinc oxide [ZnO]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02963 characterised by the doping material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/1884 Manufacture of transparent electrodes, e.g. TCO, ITO
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12681 Ga-, In-, Tl- or Group VA metal-base component

Abstract

A p-type transparent conducting oxide film is provided which is consisting essentially of, the transparent conducting oxide and a molecular doping source, the oxide and doping source grown under conditions sufficient to deliver the doping source intact onto the oxide.

Claims

1. A high hole concentration p-type transparent conducting oxide film characterized by improved carrier mobility and consisting essentially of:

a transparent conducting oxide and a molecular doping source of a gas selected from the group consisting of NO and NO₂, the oxide and doping source being grown under conditions sufficient to deliver the doping source intact onto the oxide.

2. The film of claim 1 wherein the transparent conducting oxide is selected from the group consisting of ZnO, CdO, In₂O₃, SnO₃, Ga₂O₃, and the alloys thereof.

3. The film of claim 2 wherein said transparent conducting oxide is ZnO.

4. The film of claim 2 wherein said conditions sufficient to deliver said doping source include a temperature in the range of from about 200°

to about 1000°

C.

5. A method of producing high hole concentration p-type transparent conducting oxide films of improved carrier mobility comprising:

growing a transparent conducting oxide and doping the oxide using a molecular doping source of a gas selected from the group consisting of NO and NO₂ under conditions sufficient to deliver the doping source intact on the oxide.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the transparent conducting oxide is selected from the group consisting of ZnO, CdO, In₂O₃, SnO₂, Ga₂O₃, and the alloys thereof.

7. The process of claim 6 wherein said transparent conducting oxide is ZnO.

8. The process of claim 6 wherein said conditions sufficient to deliver said doping source include a temperature in the range of from about 200°

to about 1000°

C.