High-performance ultraviolet photodetectors based on controlled grown ZnO nanorods and Bu-PPP heterojunction

Abstract

Currently, the development of UV photodetectors has been hindered by the scarcity of p-type wide band gap materials. Here, a nanostructured ultraviolet photodetector based on the organic/inorganic heterojunction, consisting of the p-type Bu-PPP polymer and n-type ZnO nanorods, is proposed and demonstrated to have high performance. In the heterostructure, both Bu-PPP polymer and ZnO nanorods acted as the light absorber due to their suitable bandgap in the UV region, and the large contact area of the heterojunction facilitated charge transfer. Its current density-voltage behavior was investigated when exposed under different UV light (365 nm) intensities and in the dark. The responsivity of the devices was measured to be as high as 23 A W-1 at -1 V bias under UV irradiation. The heterostructure shows huge potential for development of high-performance optoelectronic and optical devices.