Strong free-carrier electro-optic response of sputtered ZnO films

We report on the anisotropic electro-optic response of sputtered ZnO films and its dispersion towards both the frequency of the modulating voltage and the wavelength of the probing beam. The observed dispersion put in evidence two mechanisms. A fast and weak electrorefraction response, due to the nonlinear polarization of bound electrons, and a strong and slow carrier refraction term, ascribed to the modulation of free carriers. The former corresponds to an electro-optical coefficient of approximately -0.5 pm/V, while the latter may reach a magnitude up to 20 times stronger. This term relaxes at about 12 kHz and is largely wavelength dependent, due to a combination of effects. Also bias voltages lead to its quenching, likely extending the depletion regions at grain boundaries. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4749404]