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Microstructure and Electrical Properties of Zinc Oxide Thin Film Varistors Prepared by RF Sputtering

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Keng-Ming Chang ,
Chuan-Pu Liu  and
Chon-Ming Tsai
Keng-Ming Chang
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng-Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
Chuan-Pu Liu
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng-Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
Chon-Ming Tsai
Affiliation:
Besdon Technology Corp. Taipei, Taiwan
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Abstract

The thin film varistors of ZnO-Bi2O3 multilayer junctions were fabricated by RF sputtering. The nonlinear I-V characteristics and nonlinear coefficient, α, under reverse bias were found to be effected by the composition and structure of the varistor multilayers. The threshold voltage is predominantly determined by the microstructure and thickness of the Bi2O3 layer in thin film varistors, while that can be tuned by altering the donor density in ZnO, which was achieved by varying Al doping concentration or sputtering conditions. The higher leakage current and lower nonlinear coefficient associated with the ZnO layer doped with Al (ZnO:Al) can be improved by inserting another ZnO layer doped with selective transition metal impurities between ZnO:Al and Bi2O3 layers. The microstructure and defects of the multilayers were investigated in detail and related to the performance of the electrical properties.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 786: Symposium E – Fundamentals of Novel Oxide/Semiconductor Interfaces , 2003 , E6.2
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2004

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References

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