Averaging of the electron effective mass in multicomponent transparent conducting oxides

Department of Physics, University of Missouri-Rolla - Rolla, MO 65409, USA

Received: 16 January 2007
Accepted: 23 April 2007

Abstract

We find that layered materials composed of various oxides of cations with s² electronic configuration, O₄, or Sc, , Zn, Al, Cd and/or Mg, exhibit isotropic electron effective mass which can be obtained via averaging over those of the corresponding single-cation oxide constituents. This effect is due to a hybrid nature of the conduction band formed from the s-states of all cations and the oxygen p-states. Moreover, the observed insensitivity of the electron effective mass to the oxygen coordination and to the distortions in the cation-oxygen chains suggests that a similar behavior can be expected in the technologically important amorphous state. These findings significantly broaden the range of materials as efficient transparent conductor hosts.