Insight into the High Mobility and Stability of In 2 O 3 :H Film

• Published in: Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany) Vol. 20; no. 2; p. e2304721
• Main Authors: Ge, Ciyu, Liu, Zunyu, Zhu, Yongchen, Zhou, Yilong, Jiang, Borui, Zhu, Jiaxing, Yang, Xuke, Zhu, Yongxin, Yan, Shuyu, Hu, Haojun, Song, Haisheng, Li, Luying, Chen, Chao, Tang, Jiang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany 01.01.2024
• Subjects: carrier scattering; defect; mobility; In2O3:H; transparent conductor oxide
• ISSN: 1613-6810; 1613-6829
• DOI: 10.1002/smll.202304721

Wide bandgap semiconductors, particularly In O :Sn (ITO), are widely used as transparent conductive electrodes in optoelectronic devices. Nevertheless, due to the strohave beenng scattering probability of high-concentration oxygen vacancy (V ) defects, the mobility of ITO is always lower than 40 cm  V  s . Recently, hydrogen-doped In O (In O :H) films have been proven to have high mobility (>100 cm  V  s ), but the origin of this high mobility is still unclear. Herein, a high-resolution electron microscope and theoretical calculations are employed to investigate the atomic-scale mechanisms behind the high carrier mobility in In O :H films. It is found that V can cause strong lattice distortion and large carrier scattering probability, resulting in low carrier mobility. Furthermore, hydrogen doping can simultaneously reduce the concentration of V , which accounts for high carrier mobility. The thermal stability and acid-base corrosion mechanism of the In O :H film are investigated and found that hydrogen overflows from the film at high temperatures (>250 °C), while acidic or alkaline environments can cause damage to the In O grains themselves. Overall, this work provides insights into the essential reasons for high carrier mobility in In O :H and presents a new research approach to the doping and stability mechanisms of transparent conductive oxides.