Enhanced-Performance Self-Powered Solar-Blind UV-C Photodetector Based on n-ZnO Quantum Dots Functionalized by p-CuO Micro-pyramids

Smart solar-blind UV-C band photodetectors suffer from low responsivity in a self-powered mode. Here, we address this issue by fabricating a novel enhanced solar-blind UV-C photodetector array based on solution-processed n-ZnO quantum dots (QDs) functionalized by p-CuO micro-pyramids. Self-assembled catalyst-free p-CuO micro-pyramid arrays are fabricated on a pre-ablated Si substrate by pulsed laser deposition without a need for a catalyst layer or seeding, while the solution-processed n-ZnO QDs are synthesized by the femtosecond-laser ablation in liquid technique. The photodetector is fabricated by spray-coating ZnO QDs on a CuO micro-pyramid array. The photodetector performance is optimized via a p-n junction structure as both p-ZnO QDs and p-CuO micro-pyramid layers are characterized by wide band gap energies. Two photodetectors (with and without CuO micro-pyramids) are fabricated to show the role of p-CuO in enhancing the device performance. The n-ZnO QD/p-CuO micro-pyramid/Si photodetector is characterized by a superior photo-responsivity of ∼956 mA/W at 244 nm with a faster photoresponse (<80 ms) and 260 nm cut-off compared to ZnO QDs/Si photodetectors, confirming that the p-CuO micro-pyramids enhance the device performance. The self-powered photoresponse with a high photo-responsivity of ∼29 mA/W is demonstrated. These high-responsivity solar-bind UV-C photodetector arrays can be used for a wide range of applications.