Self-powered UV photodetector based on self-assembled CuO and spin-coated ZnO heterostructure

• Published in: Journal of materials science Vol. 58; no. 27; pp. 11000 - 11015
• Main Authors: Anand, Akhil M., Raj, Aruna, Adithya Nath, R., Salam, Jishad A., Jayakrishnan, R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.07.2023; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Actuation; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemical Routes to Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Classical Mechanics; Copper oxide; Copper oxides; Crystallography and Scattering Methods; Cuprite; Dielectric films; Electrodes; Electrolytes; Electrolytic cells; Glass substrates; Heterostructures; Materials Science; Nanoparticles; Photometers; Photosensitivity; Photovoltaic cells; Polymer Sciences; Radiation; Self-assembly; Solid Mechanics; Spin coating; Sustainable development; Thin films; Zinc; Zinc oxide
• ISSN: 0022-2461; 1573-4803
• DOI: 10.1007/s10853-023-08726-7

Environmentally benign sustainable development can be realized only by meeting our energy demands through devices that can operate by taking energy from their surrounding environment. Self-assembled nanostructured CuO on copper ribbon and spin-coated ZnO thin films were optimized for engineering a self-powered UV photodetector in this work. We optimize the thickness of the ZnO and CuO thin films and subsequently the concentration of the alkaline electrolyte KOH to deliver a self-powered UV photodetector which exhibits an ON/OFF ratio of 505, photosensitivity of ~ 3433%, responsivity of ~ 84 mAW −1 and an excellent incident photon to current conversion efficiency of ~ 30% at 360 nm. We demonstrate the actuation of the UV photodetector by integrating the cells and switching on red and green LEDs. Graphical Abstract