The ZnO thin films were grown on GaN template substrates by RF magnetron sputtering at different RF powers and n-ZnO/p-GaN heterojunction LEDs were fabricated to investigate the effect of the RF power on the characteristics of the n-ZnO/p-GaN LEDs. For the growth of the ZnO thin films, the substrate temperature was kept constant at 200˚C and the RF power was varied within the range of 200 to 500W at different growth times to deposit films of 100 nm thick. The electrical, optical and structural properties of ZnO thin films were investigated by ellipsometry, X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), photoluminescence (PL) and by assessing the Hall effect. The characteristics of the n-ZnO/p-GaN LEDs were evaluated by current-voltage (I-V) and electroluminescence (EL) measurements. ZnO thin films were grown with a preferred c-axis orientation along the (0002) plane. The XRD peaks shifted to low angles and the surface roughness became non-uniform with an increase in the RF power. Also, the PL emission peak was red-shifted. The carrier density and the mobility decreased with the RF power. For the n-ZnO/p-GaN LED, the forward current at 20 V decreased and the threshold voltage increased with the RF power. The EL emission peak was observed at approximately 435 nm and the luminescence intensity decreased. Consequently, the crystallinity of the ZnO thin films grown with RF sputtering powers were improved. However, excess Zn affected the structural, electrical and optical properties of the ZnO thin films when the optimal RF power was exceeded. This excess RF power will degrade the characteristics of light emitting devices.

In this study, GaN powders were synthesized from gallium oxide-hydroxide (GaOOH) through an ammonification process in an NH3 flow with the variation of B2O3 additives within a temperature range of 300-1050˚C. The additive effect of B2O3 on the hexagonal phase GaN powder synthesis route was examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transformation infrared transmission (FTIR) spectroscopy. With increasing the mol% of B2O3 additive in the GaOOH precursor powder, the transition temperature and the activation energy for GaN powder formation increased while the GaN synthesis limit-time (tc) shortened. The XPS results showed that Boron compounds of B2O3 and BN coexisted in the synthesized GaN powders. From the FTIR spectra, we were able to confirm that the GaN powder consisted of an amorphous or cubic phase B2O3 due to bond formation between B and O and the amorphous phase BN due to B-N bonds. The GaN powder synthesized from GaOOH and B2O3 mixed powder by an ammonification route through β-Ga2O3 intermediate state. During the ammonification process, boron compounds of B2O3 and BN coated β-Ga2O3 and GaN particles limited further nitridation processes.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the crystalline structure and optical properties of (GaZn)(NO) powders prepared by solid-state reaction between GaOOH and ZnO mixture under NH3 gas flow. While ammoniation of the GaOOH and ZnO mixture successfully produces the single phase of (GaZn)(NO) solid solution within a GaOOH rich composition of under 50 mol% of ZnO content, this process also produces a powder with coexisting (GaZn)(NO) and ZnO in a ZnO rich composition over 50 mol%. The GaOOH in the starting material was phase-transformed to α-, β-Ga2O3 in the NH3 environment; it was then reacted with ZnO to produce ZnGa2O4. Finally, the exchange reaction between nitrogen and oxygen atoms at the ZnGa2O4 powder surface forms a (GaZn)(NO) solid solution. Photoluminescence spectra from the (GaZn)(NO) solid solution consisted of oxygen-related red-emission bands and yellow-, green- and blue-emission bands from the Zn acceptor energy levels in the energy bandgap of the (GaZn)(NO) solid solutions.

ZnO thin films were grown on a sapphire substrate by RF magnetron sputtering. The characteristics of the thin films were investigated by ellipsometry, X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), photoluminescence (PL), and Hall effect. The substrate temperature and growth time were kept constant at 200˚C at 30 minutes, respectively. The RF power was varied within the range of 200 to 500 W. ZnO thin films on sapphire substrate were grown with a preferred C-axis orientation along the (0002) plan; X-ray diffraction peak shifted to low angles and PL emission peak was red-shifted with increasing RF power. In addition, the electrical characteristics of the carrier density and mobility decreased and the resistivity increased. In the electrical and optical properties of ZnO thin films under variation of RF power, the crystallinity improved and the roughness increased with increasing RF power due to decreased oxygen vacancies and the presence of excess zinc above the optimal range of RF power. Consequently, the crystallinity of the ZnO thin films grown on sapphire substrate was improved with RF sputtering power; however, excess Zn resulted because of the structural, electrical, and optical properties of the ZnO thin films. Thus, excess RF power will act as a factor that degrades the device characteristics.