Model for zinc oxide varistor

Abstract

Zinc oxide varistors are very complex systems, and the dominant mechanism of voltage barrier formation in these systems has not been well established. Yet the MNDO quantum mechanical theoretical calculation was used in this work to determine the most probable defect type at the surface of a ZnO cluster. The proposed model represents well the semiconducting nature as well as the defects at the ZnO bulk and surface. The model also shows that the main adsorption species that provide stability at the ZnO surface are O-, O2-, and O2.