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  • Access by Xinjiang University

Conductivity and Hall Effect of ZnO at Low Temperatures

Sol E. Harrison*

  • Physics Department, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

  • *Now at Eckert-Mauchly Division, Remington Rand, Inc., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Phys. Rev. 93, 52 – Published 1 January, 1954

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRev.93.52

Abstract

The Hall effect and conductivity of zinc oxide have been measured in dense polycrystalline samples and two single crystals.

It has been found that the usual simple Wilson semiconductor model is inadequate for the proper interpretation of results. Several modifications and additions have been suggested for the usual single-level impurity semiconductor. Allowance has been made for the polycrystalline nature of the sintered specimens in deducing the bulk properties.

Three models are successful in giving the correct interpretation for the experimental results of the Hall curves. These are: (1) orbital degeneracy of electrons attached to an interstitial zinc atom; (2) additional energy levels at traps at the impurity level, where the number of traps is much greater than the number of donors; (3) traps far below the donor level that greatly outnumber the donors [this is mathematically the same as (2) but necessitates other lattice imperfections for physical realization].

Physical realization of these energy level schemes is considered in the light of the other physical properties of ZnO, such as luminescence and photoconductivity. These physical models are examined with the aid of present-day knowledge of the alkali halides and other ionic crystals. It is found that pairs of positive (zinc) plus negative (oxygen) ion vacancies with excess oxygen ion vacancies are capable of reproducing the diversified electrical and optical properties of zinc oxide semiconductor. The previous scheme of frozen-in interstitial zinc atoms is shown to be incompatible with our experimental results. Experiments are proposed for further verification of the proposed model.

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