Abstract
ZnSnN2 is an emerging wide band gap earth-abundant semiconductor with potential applications in photonic devices such as solar cells, LEDs, and optical sensors. We report the characterization by ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of reactively radio-frequency sputtered II–IV-nitride ZnSnN2 thin films. For samples transferred in high vacuum, the ZnSnN2 surface work function was 4.0 ± 0.1 eV below the vacuum level, with a valence-band onset of 1.2 ± 0.1 eV below the Fermi level. The resulting band diagram indicates that the degenerate bulk Fermi level position in ZnSnN2 shifts to mid-gap at the surface due to band bending that results from equilibration with delocalized surface states within the gap. Brief (< 10 s) exposures to air, a nitrogen-plasma treatment, or argon-ion sputtering caused significant chemical changes at the surface, both in surface composition and interfacial energetics. The relative band positioning of the n-type semiconductor against standard redox potentials indicated that ZnSnN2 has an appropriate energy band alignment for use as a photoanode to effect the oxygen-evolution reaction.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 735 |
| Journal | Applied Physics A: Materials Science and Processing |
| Volume | 123 |
| Issue number | 12 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Dec 1 2017 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Chemistry(all)
- Materials Science(all)
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Effects of surface condition on the work function and valence-band position of ZnSnN2 . / Shing, Amanda M.; Tolstova, Yulia; Lewis, Nathan S; Atwater, Harry A.
In: Applied Physics A: Materials Science and Processing, Vol. 123, No. 12, 735, 01.12.2017.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of surface condition on the work function and valence-band position of ZnSnN2
AU - Shing, Amanda M.
AU - Tolstova, Yulia
AU - Lewis, Nathan S
AU - Atwater, Harry A.
PY - 2017/12/1
Y1 - 2017/12/1
N2 - ZnSnN2 is an emerging wide band gap earth-abundant semiconductor with potential applications in photonic devices such as solar cells, LEDs, and optical sensors. We report the characterization by ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of reactively radio-frequency sputtered II–IV-nitride ZnSnN2 thin films. For samples transferred in high vacuum, the ZnSnN2 surface work function was 4.0 ± 0.1 eV below the vacuum level, with a valence-band onset of 1.2 ± 0.1 eV below the Fermi level. The resulting band diagram indicates that the degenerate bulk Fermi level position in ZnSnN2 shifts to mid-gap at the surface due to band bending that results from equilibration with delocalized surface states within the gap. Brief (< 10 s) exposures to air, a nitrogen-plasma treatment, or argon-ion sputtering caused significant chemical changes at the surface, both in surface composition and interfacial energetics. The relative band positioning of the n-type semiconductor against standard redox potentials indicated that ZnSnN2 has an appropriate energy band alignment for use as a photoanode to effect the oxygen-evolution reaction.
AB - ZnSnN2 is an emerging wide band gap earth-abundant semiconductor with potential applications in photonic devices such as solar cells, LEDs, and optical sensors. We report the characterization by ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of reactively radio-frequency sputtered II–IV-nitride ZnSnN2 thin films. For samples transferred in high vacuum, the ZnSnN2 surface work function was 4.0 ± 0.1 eV below the vacuum level, with a valence-band onset of 1.2 ± 0.1 eV below the Fermi level. The resulting band diagram indicates that the degenerate bulk Fermi level position in ZnSnN2 shifts to mid-gap at the surface due to band bending that results from equilibration with delocalized surface states within the gap. Brief (< 10 s) exposures to air, a nitrogen-plasma treatment, or argon-ion sputtering caused significant chemical changes at the surface, both in surface composition and interfacial energetics. The relative band positioning of the n-type semiconductor against standard redox potentials indicated that ZnSnN2 has an appropriate energy band alignment for use as a photoanode to effect the oxygen-evolution reaction.
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85033454003&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s00339-017-1341-3
DO - 10.1007/s00339-017-1341-3
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85033454003
VL - 123
JO - Applied Physics
JF - Applied Physics
SN - 0340-3793
IS - 12
M1 - 735
ER -