Single‐Crystalline p‐Type Zn3As2 Nanowires for Field‐Effect Transistors and Visible‐Light Photodetectors on Rigid and Flexible Substrates

Zn₃As₂ is an important p‐type semiconductor with the merit of high effective mobility. The synthesis of single‐crystalline Zn₃As₂ nanowires (NWs) via a simple chemical vapor deposition method is reported. High‐performance single Zn₃As₂ NW field‐effect transistors (FETs) on rigid SiO₂/Si substrates and visible‐light photodetectors on rigid and flexible substrates are fabricated and studied. As‐fabricated single‐NW FETs exhibit typical p‐type transistor characteristics with the features of high mobility (305.5 cm² V^?1 s^?1) and a high I_on/I_off ratio (10⁵). Single‐NW photodetectors on SiO₂/Si substrate show good sensitivity to visible light. Using the contact printing process, large‐scale ordered Zn₃As₂ NW arrays are successfully assembled on SiO₂/Si substrate to prepare NW thin‐film transistors and photodetectors. The NW‐array photodetectors on rigid SiO₂/Si substrate and flexible PET substrate exhibit enhanced optoelectronic performance compared with the single‐NW devices. The results reveal that the p‐type Zn₃As₂ NWs have important applications in future electronic and optoelectronic devices.     

An Ultrahigh Responsivity (9.7 mA W−1) Self‐Powered Solar‐Blind Photodetector Based on Individual ZnO–Ga2O3 Heterostructures

Highly crystallized ZnO–Ga₂O₃ core–shell heterostructure microwire is synthesized by a simple one‐step chemical vapor deposition method, and constructed into a self‐powered solar‐blind (200–280 nm) photodetector with a sharp cutoff wavelength at 266 nm. The device shows an ultrahigh responsivity (9.7 mA W^?1) at 251 nm with a high UV/visible rejection ratio (R _{251 nm}/R _{400 nm}) of 6.9 × 10² under zero bias. The self‐powered device has a fast response speed with rise time shorter than 100 µs and decay time of 900 µs, respectively. The ultrahigh responsivity, high UV/visible rejection ratio, and fast response speed make it highly suitable in practical self‐powered solar‐blind detection. Additinoally, this microstructure heterojunction design method would provide a new approach to realize the high‐performance self‐powered photodetectors.     

3D Solar‐Blind Ga2O3 Photodetector Array Realized Via Origami Method

A 3D solar‐blind photodetector array is realized from amorphous Ga₂O₃ films grown on polyethylene terephthalate substrates via an origami route. The photodetector cells exhibit a dark current of 0.17 nA, and the peak responsivity is about 8.9 A W^?1 at 250 nm with a quantum efficiency of 4450%. The photodetector shows a distinct cut‐off wavelength at 268 nm with a solar‐blind ratio of more than two orders of magnitude (photocurrent ratio between 250 nm/300 nm). The photodetector cells reveal excellent electrical stability after thousands of bending cycles. All the photodetector cells of the 3D photodetector array have a highly consistent performance. In addition, the device can execute the functions of capturing a real‐time light trajectory and identifying multipoint light spatial distribution, which cannot be achieved in all the previously reported 2D solar‐blind photodetectors. The results suggest new pathways to fabricate 3D photodetectors from conventional semiconductor films, which may find potential applications in optical positioning, tracking, imaging and communications, etc.     

p‐Si/SnO2/Fe2O3 Core/Shell/Shell Nanowire Photocathodes for Neutral pH Water Splitting

Silicon is one of the promising materials for solar water splitting and hydrogen production; however, it suffers from two key factors, including the large external potential required to drive water splitting reactions at its surface and its instability in the electrolyte. In this study, a successful fabrication of novel p‐Si/n‐SnO₂/n‐Fe₂O₃ core/shell/shell nanowire (css‐NW) arrays, consisting of vertical Si NW cores coated with a thin SnO₂ layer and a dense Fe₂O₃ nanocrystals (NCs) shell, and their application for significantly enhanced solar water reduction in a neutral medium is reported. The p‐Si/n‐SnO₂/n‐Fe₂O₃ css‐NW structure is characterized in detail using scanning, transmission, and scanning transmission electron microscopes. The p‐Si/n‐SnO₂/n‐Fe₂O₃ css‐NWs show considerably improved photocathodic performances, including higher photocurrent and lower photocathodic turn‐on potential, compared to the bare p‐Si NWs or p‐Si/n‐SnO₂ core/shell NWs (cs‐NWs), due to increased optical absorption, enhanced charge separation, and improved gas evolution. As a result, photoactivity at 0 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode and a low onset potential in the neutral solution are achieved. Moreover, p‐Si/n‐SnO₂/n‐Fe₂O₃ css‐NWs exhibit long‐term photoelectrochemical stability due to the Fe₂O₃ NCs shell well protection. These results reveal promising css‐NW photoelectrodes from cost‐effective materials by facile fabrication with simultaneously improved photocathodic performance and stability.     

Recent Progress in Solar‐Blind Deep‐Ultraviolet Photodetectors Based on Inorganic Ultrawide Bandgap Semiconductors

Due to its significant applications in many relevant fields, light detection in the solar‐blind deep‐ultraviolet (DUV) wavelength region is a subject of great interest for both scientific and industrial communities. The rapid advances in preparing high‐quality ultrawide‐bandgap (UWBG) semiconductors have enabled the realization of various high‐performance DUV photodetectors (DUVPDs) with different geometries, which provide an avenue for circumventing numerous disadvantages in traditional DUV detectors. This article presents a comprehensive review of the applications of inorganic UWBG semiconductors for solar‐blind DUV light detection in the past several decades. Different kinds of DUVPDs, which are based on varied UWBG semiconductors including Ga₂O₃, Mg_xZn_1?xO, III‐nitride compounds (Al_xGa_1?xN/AlN and BN), diamond, etc., and operate on different working principles, are introduced and discussed systematically. Some emerging techniques to optimize device performance are addressed as well. Finally, the existing techniques are summarized and future challenges are proposed in order to shed light on development in this critical research field.     

Nickel Silicide Nanowire Arrays for Anti‐Reflective Electrodes in Photovoltaics

Conductive nanowires (NWs) provide several advantages as a template and electrode material for solar cells due to their favorable light scattering properties. While the majority of NW solar cell architectures studied are based on semiconductor materials, metallic NWs could provide equivalent anti‐reflection properties, while acting as a low‐resistance back contact for charge transport, and facilitate light scattering in thin layers of semiconductors coated on the surface. However, fabrication of single‐crystalline highly anti‐reflective NWs on low‐cost, flexible substrates remains a challenge to drive down the cost of NW solar cells. In this study, metallic Ni_xSi NW arrays are fabricated by a simple, bottom‐up, and low‐cost method based on the thermal decomposition of silane on the surface of flexible Ni foil substrates without the need for lithography, etching or catalysts. The optical properties of these NW arrays demonstrate broadband suppression of reflection to levels below 1% from 350 nm to 1100 nm, which is among the highest values reported for NWs. A simple route to control the diameter and density of the NWs is introduced based on variations in a carrier gas flow rate. A high‐resolution TEM, XRD and TEM‐EDS study of the NWs reveals that they are single crystalline, with the phase and composition varying between Ni₂Si and NiSi. The nanowire resistivity is measured to be 10^?4 Ω‐cm, suggesting their use as an efficient back electrode material for nanostructured solar cells with favorable light scattering properties.     

High—Performance Solar‐Blind Deep Ultraviolet Photodetector Based on Individual Single‐Crystalline Zn2GeO4 Nanowire

Solar‐blind deep ultraviolet (DUV) photodetectors have been a hot topic in recent years because of their wide commercial and military applications. A wide bandgap (4.68 eV) of ternary oxide Zn₂GeO₄ makes it an ideal material for the solar‐blind DUV detection. Unfortunately, the sensing performance of previously reported photodetectors based on Zn₂GeO₄ nanowires has been unsatisfactory for practical applications, because they suffer from long response and decay times, low responsivity, and quantum efficiency. Here, high‐performance solar‐blind DUV photodetectors are developed based on individual single‐crystalline Zn₂GeO₄ nanowires. The transport mechanism is discussed in the frame of the small polaron theory. In situ electrical characterization of individual Zn₂GeO₄ nanowires reveals a high gain under high energy electron beam. The devices demonstrate outstanding solar‐blind light sensing performances: a responsivity of 5.11 × 10³ A W^?1, external quantum efficiency of 2.45 × 10⁶%, detectivity of ≈2.91 × 10¹¹ Jones, τ_rise ≈ 10 ms, and τ_decay ≈ 13 ms, which are superior to all reported Zn₂GeO₄ and other ternary oxide nanowire photodetectors. These results render the Zn₂GeO₄ nanowires particularly valuable for optoelectronic devices.     

High‐Performance Ultraviolet Photodetector Based on a Few‐Layered 2D NiPS3 Nanosheet

2D materials, represented by transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), have attracted tremendous research interests in photoelectronic and electronic devices. However, for their relatively small bandgap (<2 eV), the application of traditional TMDs into solar‐blind ultraviolet (UV) photodetection is restricted. Here, for the first time, NiPS₃ nanosheets are grown via chemical vapor deposition method. The nanosheets thinning to 3.2 nm with the lateral size of dozens of micrometers are acquired. Based on the various nanosheets, a linearity is found between the Raman intensity of specific A_g modes and the thickness, providing a convenient method to determine their layer numbers. Furthermore, a UV photodetector is fabricated using few‐layered 2D NiPS₃ nanosheets. It shows an ultrafast rise time shorter than 5 ms with an ultralow dark current less than 10 fA. Notably, this UV photodetector demonstrates a high detectivity of 1.22 × 10¹² Jones, outperforming some traditional wide‐bandgap UV detectors. The wavelength‐dependent photoresponsivity measurement allows the direct observation of an admirable cut‐off wavelength at 360 nm, which indicates a superior spectral selectivity. The promising photodetector performance, accompanied with the controllable fabrication and transfer process of nanosheet, lays the foundation of applying 2D semiconductors for ultrafast UV light detection.     

Flexible High-Performance Photovoltaic Devices based on 2D MoS2 Diodes with Geometrically Asymmetric Contact Areas

Optoelectronic performance of 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs)-based solar cells and self-powered photodetectors remain limited due to fabrication challenges, such as difficulty in doping TMDs to form p–n junctions. Herein, MoS₂ diodes based on geometrically asymmetric contact areas are shown to achieve a high current rectification ratio of ≈10⁵, facilitating efficient photovoltaic charge collection. Under solar illumination, the device demonstrates a high open-circuit voltage (V_oc) of 430 mV and a short-circuit current density (J_sc) of −13.42 mA cm⁻², resulting in a high photovoltaic power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 3.16%, the highest reported for a lateral 2D solar cell. The diodes also show a high photoresponsivity of 490.3 mA W⁻¹, and a large photo detectivity of 4.05 × 10¹⁰ Jones, along with a fast response time of 0.8 ms under 450 nm wavelength at zero bias for self-powered photodetection applications. The device transferred on a flexible substrate shows a high photocurrent and PCE retentions of 94.4%, and 88.2% after 5000 bending cycles at a bending radius of 1.5 cm, respectively, demonstrating robustness for flexible optoelectronic applications. The simple fabrication process, superior photovoltaic properties, and high flexibility suggests that the geometrically asymmetric MoS₂ device architecture is an excellent candidate for flexible photovoltaic and optoelectronic applications.     

Polarization‐Sensitive Ultraviolet Photodetection of Anisotropic 2D GeS2

Polarization‐sensitive photodetection in the UV region is highly indispensable in many military and civilian applications. UV‐polarized photodetection usually relies on the use of wide bandgap semiconductors with 1D nanostructures requiring complicated nanofabrication processes. Although the emerging anisotropic 2D semiconductors shed light on the detection of polarization with a simple device architecture, bandgaps of such reported 2D semiconductors are too small to be applied for visible–blind UV‐polarized photodetection. Here, germanium disulfide (GeS₂), the widest bandgap (>3 eV) in the family of in‐plane anisotropic 2D semiconductors explored to date, is introduced as an ideal candidate for UV‐polarized photodetection. The structural, vibrational, and optical anisotropies of GeS₂ are systematically investigated from theory to experiment. GeS₂‐based photodetectors show a strong polarization‐dependent photoresponse in the UV region. GeS₂ with a wide bandgap and high in‐plane anisotropy not only enriches the family of anisotropic 2D semiconductors but also expands the polarized photodetection from the current visible and near‐infrared to the brand‐new UV region.     

An Efficient Way to Assemble ZnS Nanobelts as Ultraviolet‐Light Sensors with Enhanced Photocurrent and Stability

Although there has been significant progress in the fabrication and performance optimization of one‐dimensional nanostructure‐based photodetectors, it is still a challenge to develop an effective and low‐cost device with high performance characteristics, such as a high photocurrent/dark‐current ratio, photocurrent stability, and fast time response. Herein an efficient and low‐cost method to achieve high‐performance ‘visible‐blind’ microscale ZnS nanobelt‐based ultraviolet (UV)‐light sensors without using a lithography technique, by increasing the nanobelt surface areas exposed to light, is reported. The devices exhibit about 750 times enhancement of a photocurrent compared with individual nanobelt‐based sensors and an ultrafast time response. The photocurrent stability and time response to UV‐light do not change significantly when a channel distance is altered from 2 to 100 µm or the sensor environment changes from air to vacuum and different measurement temperatures (60 and 150 °C). The photoelectrical behaviors can be recovered well after returning the measurement conditions to air and room temperature again. The low cost and high performance of the resultant ZnS nanobelt photodetectors guarantee their highest potential for visible‐blind UV‐light sensors working in the UV‐A band.     

Low‐Bandgap Methylammonium‐Rubidium Cation Sn‐Rich Perovskites for Efficient Ultraviolet–Visible–Near Infrared Photodetectors

Solution‐processed and low‐temperature Sn‐rich perovskites show their low bandgap of about 1.2 eV, enabling potential applications in next‐generation cost‐effective ultraviolet (UV)–visible (vis)–near infrared (NIR) photodetection. Particularly, the crystallization (crystallinity and orientation) and film (smooth and dense film) properties of Sn‐rich perovskites are critical for efficient photodetectors, but are limitedly studied. Here, controllable crystallization for growing high‐quality films with the improvements of increased crystallinity and strengthened preferred orientation through a introducing rubidium cation into the methylammonium Sn‐Pb perovskite system (65% Sn) is achieved. Fundamentally, the theoretical results show that rubidium incorporation causes lower surface energy of (110) plane, facilitating growth in the dominating plane and suppressing growth of other competing planes. Consequently, the methylammonium‐rubidium Sn‐Pb perovskite photodetectors simultaneously achieve larger photocurrent and lower noise current. Finally, highly efficient UV–vis–NIR (300–1100 nm) photodetectors with record‐high linear dynamic range of 110 and 3 dB cut‐off frequency reaching 1 MHz are demonstrated. This work contributes to enriching the cation selection in Sn‐Pb perovskite systems and offering a promising candidate for low‐cost UV–vis–NIR photodetection.     

High‐Performance Ferroelectric Polymer Side‐Gated CdS Nanowire Ultraviolet Photodetectors

An efficient ferroelectric‐enhanced side‐gated single CdS nanowire (NW) ultraviolet (UV) photodetector at room temperature is demonstrated. With the ultrahigh electrostatic field from polarization of ferroelectric polymer, the depletion of the intrinsic carriers in the CdS NW channel is achieved, which significantly reduces the dark current and increases the sensitivity of the UV photodetector even after the gate voltage is removed. Meanwhile, the low frequency noise current power of the device reaches as low as 4.6 × 10^?28 A² at a source‐drain voltage V_ds = 1 V. The single CdS NW UV photodetector exhibits high photoconductive gain of 8.6 × 10⁵, responsivity of 2.6 × 10⁵ A W^?1, and specific detectivity (D*) of 2.3 × 10¹⁶ Jones at a low power density of 0.01 mW cm^?2 for λ = 375 nm. In addition, the spatially resolved scanning photocurrent mapping across the device shows strong photocurrent signals near the metal contacts. This is promising for the design of a controllable, high‐performance, and low power consumption ultraviolet photodetector.     

Response Enhancement of Self‐Powered Visible‐Blind UV Photodetectors by Nanostructured Heterointerface Engineering

The development of efficient photodetectors (PDs) for ultraviolet (UV) light is of great importance for many applications. In this paper, a novel approach is proposed for boosting the performances of self‐powered PDs. Visible‐blind UV‐A PDs are built by combining a mesoporous TiO₂ layer with a Spiro‐OMeTAD layer. The nanostructured heterointerface is engineered by inserting a self‐assembled layer of organic modifiers. By choosing 4‐nitrobenzoic acid (NBA), the responsivity is boosted by 70% compared to the pristine devices. It achieves 64 mA W^?1 at 0 V bias, 380 nm, and 1 mW cm^?2. The PD displays a very high sensitivity (>10⁴), a fast response time (<3 ms), a high stability, and repeatability. 4‐chlorobenzoic acid, 4‐methoxy benzoic acid, 4‐nitro benzoic acid, and β‐alanine surface modifiers are studied by a combined experimental and theoretical approach. Their dipole moment is calculated. Their presence induces a step in the vacuum energy and the formed dipole field dramatically affects the charge transfer and then the photocurrent/photoresponse of the device. The higher responsivity of the NBA‐modified PD is thus explained by the better and faster electron charge transfer toward the electrical contact on TiO₂.     

Towards high‐efficiency multi‐junction solar cells with biologically inspired nanosurfaces

Multi‐junction solar cells offer extremely high power conversion efficiency with minimal semiconductor material usage, and hence are promising for large‐scale electricity generation. However, suppressing optical reflection in the UV regime is particularly challenging due to the lack of adequate dielectric materials. In this work, bio‐inspired antireflective structures are demonstrated on a monolithically grown Ga_0.5In_0.5P/In_0.01Ga_0.99As/Ge triple‐junction solar cell, which overcome the limited optical response of reference devices. The fabricated device also exhibits omni‐directional enhancement of photocurrent and power conversion efficiency, offering a viable solution to concentrated illumination with large angles of incidence. A comprehensive design scheme is further developed to tailor the reflectance spectrum for maximum photocurrent output of tandem cells. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Transparent Schottky Photodiode Based on AgNi NWs/SrTiO3 Contact with an Ultrafast Photoresponse to Short‐Wavelength Blue Light and UV‐Shielding Effect

A transparent Schottky photodiode is constructed based on a SrTiO₃ (STO) wafer, in which nickel‐coated silver nanowires (AgNi NWs) are proposed as the high‐work‐function transparent electrode. A selective photoresponse to harmful short‐wavelength blue (SWB) light is generated owing to the proper bandgap of STO, and the AgNi NWs effectively strengthen the photovoltaic behavior, resulting in an ultrafast response speed (t_rise/t_fall = 7 µs/115 µs) and photocurrent of 16–38 nA under a 0 V bias. Meanwhile, the complete device maintains a transparency of ≈60% almost over the entire visible light region and blocks 96.7% UVA and >99.9% UVB. The combination of bias‐free SWB detection and transparent UV shielding is readily applicable to protect against light pollution. Furthermore, this work proposes a considerable method to modulate the work function of transparent Ag NW electrodes by surface coating, which provides inspiration for the development of transparent electrode materials with different work functions.     

Ultrahigh EQE (15%) Solar‐Blind UV Photovoltaic Detector with Organic–Inorganic Heterojunction via Dual Built‐In Fields Enhanced Photogenerated Carrier Separation Efficiency Mechanism

A new strategy of constructing an additional heterojunction on the surface of epitaxially grown Ga₂O₃ film with a distorted lattice is proposed to solve the problem of low external quantum efficiency (EQE) in traditional Ga₂O₃ heterojunction photovoltaic devices. Experimentally, an organic–inorganic hybrid poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate/Ga₂O₃/p‐type Si solar‐blind ultraviolet (SBUV) photovoltaic detector is constructed to achieve an ultrahigh EQE of ≈15% at 0 V bias, which is 1–2 orders of magnitude higher than that of the Ga₂O₃ photovoltaic devices reported previously. Here, an enhanced mechanism of photogenerated carrier separation efficiency induced by dual built‐in fields is proposed to explain the high EQE of Ga₂O₃ SBUV photovoltaic devices. In addition, the organic–inorganic hybrid detector displays a high SBUV–visible rejection ratio (R_{255 nm}/R_{405 nm} of ≈450) and fast response speed (rise time of 60 ms and decay time of 88 ms). All these results indicate that the strategy proposed could provide reference for the fabrication of high‐performance Ga₂O₃ SBUV photovoltaic detectors.     

Systematic Study of the Growth of Aligned Arrays of α‐Fe2O3 and Fe3O4 Nanowires by a Vapor–Solid Process

Growth of aligned and uniform α‐Fe₂O₃ nanowire (NW) arrays has been achieved by a vapor–solid process. The experimental conditions, such as type of substrate, local growth and geometrical environment, gas‐flow rate, and growth temperature, under which the high density α‐Fe₂O₃ NW arrays can be grown by a vapor–solid route via the tip‐growth mechanism have been systematically investigated. The density of the α‐Fe₂O₃ NWs can be enhanced by increasing the concentration of Ni atoms inside the alloy substrate. The synthesized temperature can be as low as 400 °C. Fe₃O₄ NWs can be produced by converting α‐Fe₂O₃ NWs in a reducing atmosphere at 450 °C. The transformation of phase and structure have been observed by in situ transmission electron microscopy. The magnetic and field‐emission properties of the NWs indicate their potential applications in nanodevices.     

ReS2‐Based Field‐Effect Transistors and Photodetectors

Atomically thin 2D layered transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have been extensively studied in recent years because of their appealing electrical and optical properties. Here, the fabrication of ReS₂ field‐effect transistors is reported via the encapsulation of ReS₂ nanosheets in a high‐κ Al₂O₃ dielectric environment. Low‐temperature transport measurements allow to observe a direct metal‐to‐insulator transition originating from strong electron–electron interactions. Remarkably, the photodetectors based on ReS₂ exhibit gate‐tunable photoresponsivity up to 16.14 A W^?1 and external quantum efficiency reaching 3168%, showing a competitive device performance to those reported in graphene, MoSe₂, GaS, and GaSe‐based photodetectors. This study unambiguously distinguishes ReS₂ as a new candidate for future applications in electronics and optoelectronics.     

Flexible and Self‐Powered Lateral Photodetector Based on Inorganic Perovskite CsPbI3–CsPbBr3 Heterojunction Nanowire Array

Self‐powered perovskite photodetectors mainly adopt the vertical heterojunction structure composed of active layer, electron–hole transfer layers, and electrodes, which results in the loss of incident light and interfacial accumulation of defects. To address these issues, a self‐powered lateral photodetector based on CsPbI₃–CsPbBr₃ heterojunction nanowire arrays is designed on both a rigid glass and a flexible polyethylene naphthalate substrate using an in situ conversion and mask‐assisted electrode fabrication method. Through adding the polyvinyl pyrrolidone and optimizing the concentration of precursors under the pressure‐assisted moulding process, both the crystallinity and stability of perovskite nanowire array are improved. The nanowire array–based lateral device shows a high responsivity of 125 mA W^?1 and a fast rise and decay time of 0.7 and 0.8 ms under a self‐powered operation condition. This work provides a new strategy to fabricate perovskite heterojunction nanoarrays towards self‐powered photodetection.