Elucidation of barrier homogeneity in ZnO/P3HT:PCBM junctions through temperature dependent I–V characteristics

The current–voltage (I–V) characteristics of ZnO/P3HT:PCBM junctions using as-deposited ZnO and 300 °C-annealed ZnO (prior to device fabrication) were probed as a function of temperature. The ZnO films were synthesized using two scalable, low temperature methods: Atmospheric pressure spatial atomic layer deposition (AP-SALD) and electrodeposition (ED). In both cases the zero bias Schottky barrier height (${\Phi }_{\text{B}}$) decreases and ideality factor (n) increases with a reduction in the operating temperature of the junctions. This was attributed to the presence of barrier inhomogeneities at the interface from surface states/defects in the ZnO causing a localized variation of work function. For the as-deposited ZnO junctions, two mean barrier heights, arising from a large density of surface states was observed. For the annealed ZnO junction one mean barrier height was observed, indicating reduction in the inhomogeneities of barrier height at the interface for the annealed ZnO. The photoresponce of ZnO/P3HT:PCBM junction was higher for the annealed ZnO which is due to the higher mean barrier height and lower value of ideality factor. This demonstrates that moderate annealing of chemically grown ZnO is crucial for reducing surface defects and barrier inhomogeneities. (paper)