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Title: Structural and electronic properties of cubic boron nitride doped with zinc

Journal Article · · Journal of Applied Physics
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4890607· OSTI ID:22308517
 [1]; ; ;  [1];  [2];  [3]
  1. Institute of Microelectronics and Optoelectronics, Department of Information Science and Electronic Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027 (China)
  2. State Key Laboratory of Silicon Materials, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027 (China)
  3. Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8505 (Japan)

Structural and electronic properties of Zn-doped cubic boron nitride (cBN) were investigated via first principle calculation based on density functional theory. Our simulation suggests that Zn can substitute for both B (Zn{sub B}) and N (Zn{sub N}) atom; Zn{sub B} is energetically favorable, and Zn{sub N} can only be prepared under B-rich conditions. Zn{sub B} induced a shallow acceptor level; however, the large difference in electronegativity between Zn and N makes the acceptor level strongly localized, which reduces effective carrier density. In the case of Zn{sub N}, both deep acceptor levels within band gap and shallow acceptor levels at the top of valence band were induced, which produced more free carriers than Zn{sub B}. The calculated results account for experimental results of enhanced electric conductivity of Zn-doped cBN films prepared under B-rich conditions.

OSTI ID:
22308517
Journal Information:
Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 116, Issue 4; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English