Intrinsic Point Defects in ZnO
Abstract
ZnO has attracted extraordinary interest as a premier host for dilute magnetic semiconductors due to its potential usage in optoelectronics, spin light emitting diodes, photovoltaics, photodetectors, and solar cells. It is a prospective material for spin light emitting diodes due to its broad band gap of 3.37 eV and high exciton binding energy. The extraordinary properties of ZnO results from the interactions of intrinsic defects in ZnO. The redistribution of these defects within the grain using sintering, annealing or extrinsic doping helps in tailoring the optical, electrical and magnetic properties of ZnO. Therefore, in this chapter, we will discuss about various intrinsic point defects present in ZnO, defect creation techniques, defect characterization, the factor affecting defect formation. The Zinc interstitial, Oxygen vacancies and their complexes are responsible for various band emissions and hence luminescent properties of various defects in ZnO are discussed.