Controlled Defects and Trap-Assisted Mitigation in Li-intercalated Zinc Oxide Ceramics

The present work reports the Li intercalation of high temperature synthesized zinc oxide ceramics for defect controlled trap states based on semiconductor nanocrystals. The intercalation of L i + ions resulted in control of the intrinsic donor defects due to the interstitial phenomenon. Moreover, L i + intercalation also downshifts the imaginary permittivity, which contributes to the reduction of overall dielectric loss of the semiconductor nanocrystals. In comparison to the pristine zinc oxide, the ac conductivity in the Li incorporated zinc oxide get highly dependent on the field frequency. The improved dielectric loosening, trap-assisted mitigation, and superior charge extraction properties in Li-intercalated ZnO were investigated thoroughly with the dielectric and optical spectroscopy techniques.