December 23, 2013
Journal Article

Defects in paramagnetic Co-doped ZnO films studied by transmission electron microscopy

Abstract

We have studied planar defects in epitaxial Co:ZnO dilute magnetic semiconductor thin films deposited on c-plane sapphire (Al2O3) and the Co:ZnO/Al2O3 interface structure at atomic resolution using aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS). Comparing Co:ZnO samples deposited by pulsed laser deposition and reactive magnetron sputtering, both exhibit extrinsic stacking faults, incoherent interface structures, and compositional variations within the first 3-4 Co:ZnO layers at the interface.. In addition, we have measured the local strain which reveals the lattice distortion around the stacking faults.

Revised: May 23, 2014 | Published: December 23, 2013

Citation

Kovacs A., A. Ney, A. Ney, M. Duchamp, V. Ney, C. Boothroyd, and P.L. Galindo, et al. 2013. Defects in paramagnetic Co-doped ZnO films studied by transmission electron microscopy. Journal of Applied Physics 114, no. 24:243503. PNNL-SA-96828. doi:10.1063/1.4851015