Theoretical investigations have predicted high efficiency in photovoltaic conversion for solar cells based on the ZnSnN2 (ZTN) material. However, the high carrier concentrations and low mobilities currently observed in ZTN layers impede such performance realization. This research explores the correlation between cation composition, thermal annealing and electrophysical characteristics of ZnSnN2 films. The free carrier concentration is reduced from 3.2 × 1021 to 2.5 × 1019 cm−3 as the Zn/(Zn + Sn) cation ratio increases from 0.30 to 0.73. Annealing at 450 °C results in mobility reduction below 0.01 cm2/V·s and a carrier concentration increase to approximately 3 × 1021 cm−3. The highest mobility (20.1 cm2/V·s) and the lowest carrier concentration (2.5 × 1019 cm−3) were obtained in the sample with the highest zinc content (Zn/(Zn + Sn) = 0.73). The sample remains degenerate from 95 to 500 K, exhibiting negative magnetoresistance up to 70 K. The Fermi level's position, in relation to the conduction band minimum, is only slightly affected by temperature, and it is around 0.2 eV at a carrier concentration of 2.5 × 1019 cm−3.
Electrophysical properties of cation-disordered ZnSnN2 films: temperature dependences and thermal annealing
De Filpo G.;
2026-01-01
Abstract
Theoretical investigations have predicted high efficiency in photovoltaic conversion for solar cells based on the ZnSnN2 (ZTN) material. However, the high carrier concentrations and low mobilities currently observed in ZTN layers impede such performance realization. This research explores the correlation between cation composition, thermal annealing and electrophysical characteristics of ZnSnN2 films. The free carrier concentration is reduced from 3.2 × 1021 to 2.5 × 1019 cm−3 as the Zn/(Zn + Sn) cation ratio increases from 0.30 to 0.73. Annealing at 450 °C results in mobility reduction below 0.01 cm2/V·s and a carrier concentration increase to approximately 3 × 1021 cm−3. The highest mobility (20.1 cm2/V·s) and the lowest carrier concentration (2.5 × 1019 cm−3) were obtained in the sample with the highest zinc content (Zn/(Zn + Sn) = 0.73). The sample remains degenerate from 95 to 500 K, exhibiting negative magnetoresistance up to 70 K. The Fermi level's position, in relation to the conduction band minimum, is only slightly affected by temperature, and it is around 0.2 eV at a carrier concentration of 2.5 × 1019 cm−3.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
