Optical properties of nickel oxide epitaxial nanofilms grown on LiNbO3 substrates and diode structures based on them
摘要
NiO epitaxial nanofilms have been successfully deposited on LiNbO3 substrates by magnetron reactive sputtering and optimal deposition conditions to achieve high crystalline perfection of these films have been found. The structural, optical and electrical properties of NiO/ LiNbO3 films have been studied by X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy (AFM), UV–visible spectroscopy, and I–V measurements. The XRD shows that NiO films grown on LiNbO3 substrates are highly crystalline with a rocking curve FWHM = 0.040. The optical transparency of NiO films and LiNbO3 substrates in the wavelength range of 250–800 nm has been studied. The band gaps of nickel oxide films grown on LiNbO3 substrates are in the range of 3.57–3.59 eV. Metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) diode structures in the form of interdigital Schottky barrier contacts to the epitaxial NiO have been manufactured. The current-voltage characteristics of the MSM-diodes demonstrate low dark currents and show the potential of diode structures for the elaboration of narrow-band detectors of UV-radiation.