High carrier concentration p-type transparent conducting oxide films

• US 20040061114A1
• Filed: 02/11/2003
• Published: 04/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alliance For Sustainable Energy LLC
• Original Assignee: Midwest Research Institute
• Inventors: Yan, Yanfa, Zhang, Shengbai
• Granted Patent: US 6,908,782 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/76
• 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 p-type transparent conducting oxide film consisting essentially of:

a transparent conducting oxide and a molecular doping source, 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 doping source is a gas selected from the group consisting of NO and NO₂.

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

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

5. The film of claim 3 wherein said conditions sufficient to deliver said doping source include a temperature in the range of from about 200°

to about 1000°

C.

6. A method of producing p-type transparent conducting oxide films comprising:

growing a transparent conducting oxide and doping the oxide using a molecular doping source under conditions sufficient to deliver the doping source intact on the oxide.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the doping source is a gas selected from the group consisting of NO and NO₂.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the transparent conducting oxide is selected from the group consisting of ZnO, CdO, In₂O₃, SnO₂, Ga₂O₃, and the alloys thereof.

9. The process of claim 8 wherein said transparent conducting oxide is ZnO.

10. The process of claim 7 wherein said conditions sufficient to deliver said doping source include a temperature in the range of from about 200°

to about 1000°

C.