ZnO: Material, Physics and Applications

Abstract ZnO is presently experiencing a research boom with more than 2000 ZnO‐related publications in 2005. This phenomenon is triggered, for example, by hope to use ZnO as a material for blue/UV optoelectronics as an alternative to GaN, as a cheap, transparent, conducting oxide, as a material for electronic circuits that are transparent in the visible or for semiconductor spintronics. Currently, however, the main problem is to achieve high, reproducible and stable p‐doping. Herein, we critically review aspects of the material growth, fundamental properties of ZnO and ZnO‐based nanostructures and doping as well as present and future applications with emphasis on the electronic and optical properties including stimulated emission.