Ion Implantation into ZnO

This chapter reviews the status of ion-beam processing of zinc oxide (ZnO), with discussions on aspects of ion implantation into ZnO, such as damage accumulation and amorphization, thermal stability of radiation defects, electrical doping, and electrical isolation. The current understanding of the physical processes responsible for the formation and evolution of radiation damage is emphasized in the chapter. Due to very efficient dynamic annealing and thermally-induced decomposition, this material exhibits a range of intriguing and complex defect-related processes. Although the understanding of ion-beam damage and defect annealing behavior in ZnO has matured considerably in the past several years, much more work is needed before ion-damage effects in this material are fully understood. Such understanding is highly desirable for the development of ion bombardment as a powerful processing tool in the fabrication of future ZnO-based electronic devices.