ScholarLens Back to search
2010•Surface Review and LettersRequires access

PREPARATIONS OF ZINC OXIDES AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE PHOTOVOLTAIC BEHAVIOR USING A SCANNING KELVIN PROBE

Ying He, W. ZHI, Bin Zhou

Open publisher page 0 citations

Abstract

Surface photovoltage of semiconductors depend strongly on their electronic structures, in particular, their Fermi energy level. This offers a possibility to characterize photoelectronic behavior using the Kelvin probe structure by measurements of work function (WF). In this paper, ZnO films were prepared using the CVD method and their microstructures and morphology were characterized using the XRD and SEM. Furthermore, photovoltage evolution and WF of selected ZnO samples were measured using a scanning Kelvin probe (SKP) system. It is found that the surface photovoltage and its time-resolved evolution process as well as the energy level structure of ZnO films can be correlated to WF very well. The present study therefore provides a simple and practical methodology for the characterization of photovoltaic behavior of semiconductor films.

About this research paper

What this paper is about

Surface photovoltage of semiconductors depend strongly on their electronic structures, in particular, their Fermi energy level. This offers a possibility to characterize photoelectronic behavior using the Kelvin probe structure by measurements of work function (WF). In this paper, ZnO films were prepared using the CVD method and their microstructures and morphology were characterized using the XRD and SEM. Furthermore, photovoltage evolution and WF of selected ZnO samples were measured using a scanning Kelvin probe (SKP) system. It is found that the surface photovoltage and its time-resolved evolution process as well as the energy level structure of ZnO films can be correlated to WF very well. The present study therefore provides a simple and practical methodology for the characterization of photovoltaic behavior of semiconductor films.

Why it matters

A significance statement is not available in the OpenAlex record.

Key contribution

A contribution statement is not available in the OpenAlex record.

Method / approach

Method details are not available in the OpenAlex metadata.

Main findings

Findings are not separately available in the OpenAlex metadata.

Limitations

Limitations are not available in the OpenAlex metadata.

Applications

Application details are not available in the OpenAlex metadata.

Available abstract

Surface photovoltage of semiconductors depend strongly on their electronic structures, in particular, their Fermi energy level. This offers a possibility to characterize photoelectronic behavior using the Kelvin probe structure by measurements of work function (WF). In this paper, ZnO films were prepared using the CVD method and their microstructures and morphology were characterized using the XRD and SEM. Furthermore, photovoltage evolution and WF of selected ZnO samples were measured using a scanning Kelvin probe (SKP) system. It is found that the surface photovoltage and its time-resolved evolution process as well as the energy level structure of ZnO films can be correlated to WF very well. The present study therefore provides a simple and practical methodology for the characterization of photovoltaic behavior of semiconductor films.

Key concepts: Kelvin probe force microscope, Surface photovoltage, Work function, Semiconductor, Materials science, Volta potential, Photovoltaic system, Scanning electron microscope

Related papers

Related paper 1Related paper 2Related paper 3
Back to paper searchBrowse research topicsOriginal source
PREPARATIONS OF ZINC OXIDES AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE PHOTOVOLTAIC BEHAVIOR USING A SCANNING KELVIN PROBE — Research Paper | ScholarLens