Electrical and optical properties of phosphorus-doped p-type ZnO films grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

P-doped p-type ZnO thin films have been grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. By modulating the P evaporating temperature, p-type conductivity can be controlled due to the different P content incorporated into the ZnO films. The P-doped p-type ZnO thin films are of high optical quality, as indicated by low-temperature photoluminescence. P-related acceptor state with an energy level of 163 meV is identified from free-to-neutral-acceptor transitions. In addition, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirms that only one chemical bonding state of P exists in the P-doped ZnO thin films. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics.