Abstract
ZnO epilayer were synthesized by the pulesd laser deposition(PLD) process on $Al_2O_3$ substrate after irradiating the surface of the ZnO sintered pellet by the ArF(193 nm) excimer laser. The epilayers of ZnO were achieved on sapphire ($Al_2O_3$) substrate at a temperature of $400^{\circ}C$. The crystalline structure of epilayer was investigated by the photoluminescence. The carrier density and mobility of ZnO epilayer measured with Hall effect by van der Pauw method are $8.27{\times}10^{16}cm^{-3}$ and $299cm^2/V{\cdot}s$ at 293 K, respectively. The temperature dependence of the energy band gap of the ZnO obtained from the absorption spectra was well described by the Varshni's relation, $E_g$(T) = 3.3973 eV - ($2.69{\times}10^{-4}$ eV/K)$T_2$/(T + 463 K). The crystal field and the spin-orbit splitting energies for the valence band of the ZnO have been estimated to be 0.0041 eV and 0.0399 eV at 10 K, respectively, by means of the photocurrent spectra and the Hopfield quasicubic model. These results indicate that the splitting of the $\triangle$so definitely exists in the $\ulcorner_6$ states of the valence band of the ZnO. The three photocurrent peaks observed at 10K are ascribed to the $A_1-$, $B_1-$, and $C_1$-exciton peaks for n = 1.