Al–N codoping and p-type conductivity in ZnO using different nitrogen sources

p-Type conductive zinc oxide ZnO thin films can be prepared by codoping of Al–N using reactive magnetron sputtering technology. Two kinds of dopants, N2O and NH3, were used in the deposition processing together with oxygen. Upon codoping, the samples changed into p-type conductions from n-type ones with relatively good electrical properties. The best ZnO thin film obtained using NH3 as the source of N shows a hole concentration of 1.32×1018 cm−3, a mobility of 0.05 cm2 V−1 s−1, and a resistivity of about 101 Ω cm. It was found that that the presence of Al facilitated the incorporation of N into ZnO.