Microwave Growth of ZnO Bulk Crystals

A novel approach for fabricating ZnO crystals using self-encapsulated microwave melt growth technique is developed, which permits idealized temperature profile for the nucleation of the ZnO crystals and their growth in a contamination-free environment. This paper reports that both un-doped ZnO and p-type doped ZnO (by P or Li:N doping) single crystals were successfully fabricated by this technique. The as-grown ZnO crystals were of light brown to clear in color depending on processing conditions. Their transparency and colorless form were restored after post-growth annealing in oxygen.