Probing charge carrier density in a layer of photodoped ZnO nanoparticles by spectroscopic ellipsometry

Changes in the optical constants of a layer of ZnO nanoparticles (5 nm diameter) induced by UV illumination in O2-free atmosphere are determined by using spectroscopic ellipsometry. The onset of optical absorption of ZnO shifts to higher photon energy after illumination. This is interpreted in terms of a Moss-Burstein shift. From the magnitude of the shift, the charge carrier density in the conduction band after UV illumination was determined to be 2 × 1019 cm-3, about one carrier per particle. Kelvin probe measurements give a lower limit for the density of 1018 cm-3. The free carrier density after illumination is high enough to explain the formation of quasi-ohmic contacts between ZnO and the polymeric p-type conductor poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT).