Local electronic structures and electrical characteristics of well-controlled nitrogen-doped ZnO thin films prepared by remote plasma in situ atomic layer doping.

Nitrogen-doped ZnO (ZnO:N) films were prepared by remote plasma in situ atomic layer doping. X-ray photoelectron and absorption near-edge spectroscopies reveal the presence of Zn-N bond and a decrease in strength of the O 2p hybridized with Zn 4s states, which are consistent with the decrease of electron concentration in ZnO:N films with increasing nitrogen content and indicate the formation of acceptor states by occupation of oxygen sites with nitrogen. Linear dependence between the nitrogen content and the atomic layer doping percentage indicates the electrical properties and local electronic structures can be precisely controlled using this atomic layer doping technique.