Optical and Structural Properties of Manganese‐Doped Zinc Oxide Grown by Metal‐Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition

Abstract This systematic study investigates the optical properties and process−structure−property relationships of Mn‐doped zinc oxide (ZnMnO) grown by metal‐organic chemical vapor deposition with varying Mn‐doping concentration and growth conditions. ZnMnO exhibits a good crystal quality oriented in the (002) direction and contains intermixtures of zinc oxide (ZnO)‐like and manganese oxide (Mn_xO_y)‐like phases. The material exhibits a direct energy absorption band‐edge and a reduction in bandgap with Mn‐doping. Photoluminescence studies show that Mn‐doping can simultaneously tailor broad green band luminescence and ultraviolet edge emissions. Post‐growth air‐annealing results in broad Mn_xO_y‐related photoluminescence emissions at 3.3–4.5 eV. A further reduction in the absorption band‐edge is also observed with annealing. Results indicate that luminescence wavelengths and intensities, and absorption band‐edge can be tuned with the Mn‐doping process. This paper promotes a thorough understanding of defect centers in ZnO with transition metal doping and their interrelation with optical characteristics. The work provides a solid foundation for the development of optoelectronic devices, such as light emitting diodes, solar cells, lasers, and photodetectors using ZnO‐based materials.