Influence of donor density in ZnO on ZnO–PrCoO x thin-film junctions: Role of O 2 and Al dopant in varistors

ZnO/PrCoOx and ZnO/PrCoOx/ZnO junctions have been fabricated by sputtering as a model of a single grain boundary in a ceramic ZnO varistor. The relations between barrier parameters and varistor characteristics were investigated using voltage-current (V-I) capacitance-voltage (C-V), and deep-level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) measurements. The varistor voltage of the junctions increases as the donor density (ND) of the ZnO film decreases. The interface states vary according to the method of ZnO sputtering. A clear correlation has been established between the α value and the interface states. The highest α value is obtained when ND is ≃ 1018 cm−3, the interface level is 0.70 eV, and the breakdown voltage is 3–4 V. Oxygen is effective on control of ND in ZnO and the interface states. Al added as a dopant is also effective in terms of its ability to increase ND in ZnO. However, Al doping was found to degrade the interface states and increase the leakage current.