THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STRUCTURAL DEFECTS AND ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY IN ZnO THIN FILMS: AN INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH APPROACH

This paper discusses the relationship between structural defects and electrical conductivity in zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films from an interdisciplinary perspective. The possible roles of oxygen and zinc vacancies, interstitial atoms, grain boundaries and lattice disorder in determining carrier concentration and mobility are reviewed. Combining X-ray diffraction, photoluminescence, Hall-effect and four-point-probe measurements is proposed as a practical strategy for connecting structural information with electrical properties. All figures and conceptual curves in this manuscript are schematic illustrations rather than measured experimental data.