Lattice sites of Na dopants in ZnO

The angular distribution of beta− particles emitted by the radioactive isotope 24Na was monitored following implantation into ZnO single crystals at fluences above 5E12 cm−2 at CERN’s ISOLDE facility. We identified sodium on two distinct sites: on substitutional Zn sites and on interstitial sites that are close to the so-called octahedral site. The interstitial Na was to large extent converted to substitutional Na already for annealing at 200°C, from which an activation energy of 0.8−1.3 eV, most likely around 1.2 eV, is estimated for the migration of interstitial Na in ZnO.