Abstract We have studied the effect of post growth annealing in oxygen ambient on the optical, chemical and electronic properties of zinc nitride thin films. The films were prepared by reactive radio frequency magnetron sputtering of zinc target in the presence of argon and nitrogen gasses at a substrate temperature of 300 °C. Post growth annealing was performed at annealing temperatures of 300, 400, 500, 600, and 700 °C in the oxygen environment to transform the zinc nitride films into p-type zinc oxide. Atomic force microscopy of the films reveal that surface roughness and grain size of the films are directly proportional to the post-growth annealing temperature. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of the films revealed that as-grown film has the highest intensity of nitrogen in the film whereas little nitrogen remains in the films that were annealed at 500 °C and higher temperatures. Films annealed at higher temperatures have lower carrier concentration but higher Hall mobility compared to the as-grown film and the films annealed at lower temperature. Moreover, as-grown film and the films annealed at lower temperature have n-type conductivity whereas films annealed at temperatures above 500 °C exhibit p-type conductivity. Films annealed at lower temperature have bandgap values closer to the zinc oxynitride but bandgap of the films annealed at higher temperatures have values close to the bandgap of zinc oxide. This indicates that post growth annealing of zinc nitride films at 500 °C in oxygen ambient transforms it into p-type zinc oxide.

中文翻译：

---

热氧化对反应磁控溅射生长的氮化锌薄膜的光学、电学和化学性质的影响

摘要 我们研究了氧气环境中生长后退火对氮化锌薄膜光学、化学和电子特性的影响。在氩气和氮气存在下，在 300 °C 的基板温度下，通过锌靶的反应射频磁控溅射制备薄膜。在氧气环境中在 300、400、500、600 和 700°C 的退火温度下进行生长后退火，以将氮化锌薄膜转化为 p 型氧化锌。薄膜的原子力显微镜显示薄膜的表面粗糙度和晶粒尺寸与生长后退火温度成正比。薄膜的 X 射线光电子能谱表明，生长的薄膜在薄膜中具有最高的氮强度，而在 500 °C 和更高温度下退火的薄膜中几乎没有氮残留。与原始薄膜和在较低温度下退火的薄膜相比，在较高温度下退火的薄膜具有较低的载流子浓度但具有较高的霍尔迁移率。此外，生长的薄膜和在较低温度下退火的薄膜具有 n 型导电性，而在 500 °C 以上的温度下退火的薄膜则表现出 p 型导电性。在较低温度下退火的薄膜的带隙值更接近于氮氧化锌，而在较高温度下退火的薄膜的带隙值则接近于氧化锌的带隙值。