Effects of growth ambient on electrical properties of Al–N co-doped p-type ZnO films

p-Type zinc oxide thin films with c-axis orientation were prepared in N 2O–O 2 atmosphere by an Al–N co-doping method using reactive magnetron sputtering. Secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) measurements indicate that as-grown ZnO films were co-doped with Al and N. Hall effect measurements show a dependence of types of conduction, carrier concentration and mobility of as-grown ZnO films on N 2O partial pressure ratios. p-Type ZnO thin films deposited in a N 2O partial ratio of 10% show the highest hole concentration of 1.1×10 17 cm −3, the lowest resistivity of about 100 Ω cm, and a low mobility of 0.3 cm 2 V −1 s −1.