The desire for developing ultraviolet optoelectronic devices has prompted extensive studies toward wide-bandgap semiconductor ZnO and its related alloys. Bandgap engineering as well as p-type doping is the key toward practical applications of ZnO. As yet, stable and reproducible p-type doping of ZnO remains a formidable challenge. To circumvent p-type conductivity, ZnO-based optoelectronic devices have been developed with hetero-structures of ZnO alloys. In past decades, substantial efforts have been made to engineer the band structure of ZnO via isovalent cation- or anion-substitution for obtaining desired material properties, and considerable progresses have been achieved. The purpose of this review is to summarize recent advances in the experimental and theoretical studies on bandgap engineering of ZnO by formation of multi-component alloys, and the development of related hetero-structures and optoelectronic devices. First, we briefly introduce the general properties, epitaxial growth techniques, and bandgap engineering of ZnO. Then, we focus on presenting the current status of researches on ZnO ternary and quaternary alloys for bandgap engineering. The issues about substituent solubility limit and phase separation, as well as variations of lattice parameters and bandgap with the substituent content in the alloys are discussed in detail. Further, ZnO alloys based hetero-structures including hetero-junctions, quantum wells, and superlattices are reviewed, and recent achievements in the area of optoelectronic devices based on ZnO multi-component alloys are summarized. The review closes with outlooking the likely developing trend of multi-component alloys for the bandgap engineering of ZnO and related hetero-structures, and the potential and pathway of multi-component alloys in settling the p-type doping of ZnO.

开发紫外光电器件的愿望促使人们对宽带隙半导体 ZnO 及其相关合金进行了广泛的研究。带隙工程以及 p 型掺杂是 ZnO 实际应用的关键。迄今为止，稳定且可重复的 p 型 ZnO 掺杂仍然是一项艰巨的挑战。为了规避 p 型导电性，已开发出具有 ZnO 合金异质结构的基于 ZnO 的光电器件。在过去的几十年里，为了获得所需的材料特性，人们已经做出了大量努力，通过等价阳离子或阴离子取代来设计 ZnO 的能带结构，并取得了相当大的进展。本综述的目的是总结通过形成多组分合金对 ZnO 带隙工程的实验和理论研究的最新进展，以及相关异质结构和光电器件的开发。首先，我们简要介绍了 ZnO 的一般特性、外延生长技术和带隙工程。然后，我们重点介绍了用于带隙工程的 ZnO 三元和四元合金的研究现状。详细讨论了取代基溶解度和相分离的问题，以及合金中晶格参数和带隙随取代基含量的变化。此外，还回顾了基于 ZnO 合金的异质结构，包括异质结、量子阱和超晶格，并总结了基于 ZnO 多组分合金的光电器件领域的最新成果。