Direct electron injection into an oxide insulator using a cathode buffer layer

Eungkyu Lee, Jinwon Lee, Ji-Hoon Kim, Keon-Hee Lim, Jun Seok Byun, Jieun Ko, Young Dong Kim, Yongsup Park and Youn Sang Kim ()
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Eungkyu Lee: Program in Nano Science and Technology, Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul National University
Jinwon Lee: Program in Nano Science and Technology, Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul National University
Ji-Hoon Kim: Research Institute for Basic Sciences, Kyung-Hee University
Keon-Hee Lim: Program in Nano Science and Technology, Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul National University
Jun Seok Byun: Research Institute for Basic Sciences, Kyung-Hee University
Jieun Ko: Program in Nano Science and Technology, Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul National University
Young Dong Kim: Research Institute for Basic Sciences, Kyung-Hee University
Yongsup Park: Research Institute for Basic Sciences, Kyung-Hee University
Youn Sang Kim: Program in Nano Science and Technology, Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul National University

Nature Communications, 2015, vol. 6, issue 1, 1-6

Abstract: Abstract Injecting charge carriers into the mobile bands of an inorganic oxide insulator (for example, SiO2, HfO2) is a highly complicated task, or even impossible without external energy sources such as photons. This is because oxide insulators exhibit very low electron affinity and high ionization energy levels. Here we show that a ZnO layer acting as a cathode buffer layer permits direct electron injection into the conduction bands of various oxide insulators (for example, SiO2, Ta2O5, HfO2, Al2O3) from a metal cathode. Studies of current–voltage characteristics reveal that the current ohmically passes through the ZnO/oxide-insulator interface. Our findings suggests that the oxide insulators could be used for simply fabricated, transparent and highly stable electronic valves. With this strategy, we demonstrate an electrostatic discharging diode that uses 100-nm SiO2 as an active layer exhibiting an on/off ratio of ∼107, and protects the ZnO thin-film transistors from high electrical stresses.

Date: 2015
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms7785

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