p-type behavior in phosphorus-doped (Zn,Mg)O device structures

The characteristics of device structures that employ phosphorus-doped (Zn,Mg)O have been examined in a effort to delineate the carrier type behavior in this material. The capacitance–voltage properties of metal/insulator/P-doped (Zn,Mg)O diode structures were measured and found to exhibit a polarity consistent with the P-doped (Zn,Mg)O layer being p type. In addition, thin-film junctions comprising n-type ZnO and P-doped (Zn,Mg)O display asymmetric I–V characteristics that are consistent with the formation of a p–n junction at the interface. Although Hall measurements of the P-doped (Zn,Mg)O thin films yielded an indeterminate Hall sign due to a small carrier mobility, these results are consistent with previous reports that phosphorus can yield an acceptor state and p-type behavior in ZnO materials.