J. Mater. Sci. Technol. ›› 2026, Vol. 243: 89-101.DOI: 10.1016/j.jmst.2025.02.099

• Research article • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Precise p-type doping of ZnO microwires for electrically-pumped homojunction microlaser diode

Maosheng Liua, Shulin Shaa, Zhaoying Xib, Kai Tanga, Peng Wana, Caixia Kana, Daning Shia,*, Mingming Jianga,*   

  1. aCollege of Physics, MIIT Key Laboratory of Aerospace Information Materials and Physics, Key Laboratory for Intelligent Nano Materials and Devices, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 211106, China;
    bInnovation Center for Gallium Oxide Semiconductor (IC-GAO), College of Integrated Circuit Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing 210023, China
  • Received:2025-01-06 Revised:2025-02-27 Accepted:2025-02-27 Published:2026-02-01 Online:2025-05-16
  • Contact: *E-mail addresses: shi@nuaa.edu.cn (D. Shi), mmjiang@nuaa.edu.cn (M. Jiang).

Abstract: Low-dimensional ultraviolet electrically pumped lasers have garnered significant attention for their remarkable achievements and broad potential in both industrial and civilian applications. Herein, we demonstrate an electrically pumped microlaser diode by employing p-type Sb-doped ZnO microwire (Sb:ZnO MW) as effective emission layer, gain medium, and cavity. The carefully-fabricated Sb:ZnO MW homojunction microlaser exhibits distinct Fabry-Pérot modes, absolutely suppressed spontaneous emission, a high quality (Q) factor of 1705, and an impressive output power of 24.3 µW. In the device, the p-Sb:ZnO MWs, synthesized via a self-catalysis high temperature process, exhibit genuine and stable p-type characteristic with hole concentration and mobility of 1.15×1019 cm-3 and 17.6 cm2 V-1 s-1, respectively. The incorporation of TeO2 layer with remarkable hole mobility enables effective current injection and strong confinement of the electron-hole recombination and photons within the MW, facilitating the lasing process. Notably, the recombination region expands within the MW as current increases, thus alleviating efficiency droop caused by Auger recombination and enabling higher output power. This design successfully overcomes the final barrier impeding ZnO homojunction electrically pumped lasing devices, paving the way for their practical application in the future.

Key words: Sb:ZnO MW, Carrier injection efficiency, Ultraviolet microlaser, High-output power, Droop-free