Theoretical Investigation of Structural and Electronic Properties of Selenium Doped Zinc Oxide

Abstract

Due to its electronic properties, Zinc Oxide (ZnO) is one of the important materials used in new generation solar cells. However, it is necessary to increase the working efficiency of pure ZnO with the rays coming from the sun. Doping with foreign atoms is one of the important techniques in this sense. In this study, the doping of ZnO crystal with Se atom was investigated theoretically. Density functional theory (DFT) was used in the calculations. However, DFT+U correction was made in the calculations to correct the known errors of the theory. With this method, the band gap of pure ZnO was calculated at 3.27 eV. This value is close to the experimental value of 3.44 eV. The Se atom causes local distortions in the crystal structure. However, these deteriorations do not significantly change the characteristic properties of the ZnO crystal. Doping with Se mainly leads to a change in the electronic structure. When the Se and Zn atoms, which have more valence electrons, are replaced, two occupied energy levels are formed in the band gap, above the valence band maximum, due to impurity. These energy levels increase the light absorption activity of ZnO in the visible region. Another important data obtained is that the lack of oxygen in the Se-doped ZnO crystal positively affects the absorption activity in the visible region

Keywords

• Zinc oxide
• Selenium
• DFT+U
• Dopping
• Solar cells

Selenyum Katkılı Çinko Oksit'in Yapısal ve Elektronik Özelliklerinin Teorik İncelenmesi

Abstract

Sahip olduğu elektronik özelliklerden dolayı Çinko Oksit (ZnO) yeni nesil güneş pillerinde kullanılan önemli malzemelerdendir. Ancak saf ZnO’nun güneşten gelen ışınlar ile çalışma veriminin arttırılması gerekmektedir. Yabancı atomlar ile katkılama bu anlamda önemli tekniklerden biridir. Bu çalışmada ZnO kristalinin Se atomu ile katkılanması teorik olarak incelenmiştir. Hesaplamalarda yoğunluk fonksiyoneli teorisi (YFT) kullanıldı. Ancak teorinin bilinen hatalarını düzeltmek için hesaplamalarda YFT+U düzeltmesi yapıldı. Bu metot ile saf ZnO’nun bant aralığı 3.27 eV değerinde hesaplandı. Bu değer deneysel değer olan 3.44 eV değerine yakındır. Se atomu kristal yapı içerisinde yerel bozulmalara yol açmaktadır. Ancak bu bozulmalar ZnO kristalinin karakteristik özelliklerini kayda değer değiştirmemektedir. Se ile katkılama esas olarak elektronik yapıda değişime yol açmaktadır. Daha fazla değerlik elektronuna sahip Se ile Zn atomu yer değiştirdiğinde bant aralığında, valans bant maksimumunun üzerinde safsızlıktan kaynaklanan iki dolu enerji seviyesi oluşmaktadır. Oluşan bu enerji seviyeleri ZnO’nun görünür bölgedeki ışığın absorpsiyonu aktivitesini artırmaktadır. Elde edilen diğer bir önemli veri ise Se katkılı ZnO kristalinde oksijen eksikliğinin olmasının görünür bölgedeki absorpsiyon aktivitesini olumlu yönde etkilemesidir.

Keywords

• Selenyum
• Çinko Oksit
• YFT+U
• Katkılama
• Güneş hücreleri

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