First-principles study of diffusion behaviour of point defects in the O-terminated (0001) surface in wurtzite ZnO

A detailed first-principles study of the diffusion behaviour of point defects in the O-terminated (0001) surface in wurtzite ZnO was performed. The O vacancy and interstitial are found to diffuse much more easily in surface than in bulk. The Zn vacancy has a similar migration barrier for both bulk and surface, but has much smaller barrier for the diffuse-in process. The Zn interstitial is difficult to diffuse in the surface directly, but it can diffuse into the bulk relatively easily. Specific values of corresponding migration barriers are obtained. (atomic and molecular physics)