Tunable p-type conductivity and transport properties of AlN nanowires via Mg doping

ACS Nano. 2011 May 24;5(5):3591-8. doi: 10.1021/nn200963k. Epub 2011 Apr 15.

Abstract

Arrays of well-aligned AlN nanowires (NWs) with tunable p-type conductivity were synthesized on Si(111) substrates using bis(cyclopentadienyl)magnesium (Cp(2)Mg) vapor as a doping source by chemical vapor deposition. The Mg-doped AlN NWs are single-crystalline and grow along the [001] direction. Gate-voltage-dependent transport measurements on field-effect transistors constructed from individual NWs revealed the transition from n-type conductivity in the undoped AlN NWs to p-type conductivity in the Mg-doped NWs. By adjusting the doping gas flow rate (0-10 sccm), the conductivity of AlN NWs can be tuned over 7 orders of magnitude from (3.8-8.5) × 10(-6) Ω(-1) cm(-1) for the undoped sample to 15.6-24.4 Ω(-1) cm(-1) for the Mg-doped AlN NWs. Hole concentration as high as 4.7 × 10(19) cm(-3) was achieved for the heaviest doping. In addition, the maximum hole mobility (∼6.4 cm(2)/V s) in p-type AlN NWs is much higher than that of Mg-doped AlN films (∼1.0 cm(2)/V s). (2) The realization of p-type AlN NWs with tunable electrical transport properties may open great potential in developing practical nanodevices such as deep-UV light-emitting diodes and photodetectors.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aluminum Compounds / chemistry*
  • Electron Transport
  • Equipment Design
  • Equipment Failure Analysis
  • Magnesium / chemistry*
  • Nanostructures / chemistry*
  • Nanostructures / ultrastructure*
  • Particle Size
  • Semiconductors
  • Transistors, Electronic*

Substances

  • Aluminum Compounds
  • aluminum nitride
  • Magnesium