dc.description.abstract | In this thesis, two earth-abundant, easily fabricated semiconductors, Cu2O and
ZnS, were investigated to explore their electronic and optical properties after doping.
Fe doped ZnS has been studied as a potential material for passive Q-switches
in miniaturized mid-infrared lasers, while K and N doped Cu2O has been proposed
as a suitable absorber material for photovoltaic (PV) and photo-electrochemical
(PEC) applications.
Cu2O samples were made by annealing and controlled oxidation of Cu metal foils.
A robust p-type doping of Cu2O using low/medium energy ion implantation was
demonstrated. Using this method, extreme levels of doping were achieved as evidenced
by a 350meV shift in the Fermi level towards the valence band maximum
(VBM). The robustness of the nitrogen implanted samples was tested by exposing
them to atmospheric contaminants, and elevated temperatures. The samples were
found to survive an increase in temperature of many hundreds of degrees. The
effect of n-type surface doping of Cu2O by K was also investigated. K was in-situ
deposited on a clean polycrystalline Cu2O surface. With increasing K concentration
up to 8:7 at:%, the valence band maximum (VBM) shifted by 225meV to
higher binding energies as determined by photoelectron spectroscopy. A successful
K + N co-doping in Cu2O was finally demonstrated. A possibility to precisely control the dopant concentration and Fermi energy level position in Cu2O, thereby
controlling the occupation of states within the band gap is an important requirement
if Cu2O is to be useful in low price PV and PEC applications.
1–4 μm thick ZnS:Fe films of high optical quality with Fe content up to 9 at:%
were made on sapphire and silicon using vapor deposition at room temperature.
Well-isolated optical absorption peaks were observed with iron concentrations up
to 4 at:%, despite a high density of twin defects in the cubic crystal structure.
Raman shifts of the ZnS:Fe films were composition dependent, and demonstrated
the onset of disorder for Fe content over 4 at:%. Preferential crystalline orientation
and phase purity were increased by the addition of even small amounts of
Fe. Optical Kerr effect measurements showed a dramatic increase in _(3) above
the concentration where Raman peaks indicate structural changes. Fe doping decreased
the bandgap of ZnS and raised the Fermi energy level, which motivated
the investigation of a heterojunction between ZnS:Fe and Cu2O in details.
Using photoelectron spectroscopy techniques (XPS/UPS) conduction and valence
band offsets at (6 at:% Fe doped ZnS)/Cu2O heterojunction were calculated, giving
_EC = 0:22 eV and _EV = 0:93 eV, respectively. An improvement over
undoped-ZnS/Cu2O heterojunction was demonstrated. | nb_NO |