High-performance metal-semiconductor-metal ZnSnO UV photodetector via controlling the nanocluster size

Zinc–Tin Oxide Film as an Earth-Abundant Material and Its Versatile Applications to Electronic and Energy Materials

Zinc–Tin Oxide (ZTO) films potentially offer desirable properties for next-generation devices and are considered promising candidates due to the following merits: (I) zinc and tin are abundant on Earth, with estimated reserves of approximately 250 million tons and 4.3 billion tons, respectively, (II) zinc and tin are harmless to the human body, and (III) large-area manufacturing with various synthesis processes is available. Considering the advantages and promises of these ZTO films, this review provides a timely overview of the progress and efforts in developing ZTO-based electronic and energy devices. This review revisits the ZTO films used for various device applications, including thin-film transistors, memory devices, solar cells, and sensors, focusing on their strong and weak points. This paper also discusses the opportunities and challenges for using ZTO films in further practical electronic and energy device applications.

Optical Management of CQD/AgNP@SiNW Arrays with Highly Efficient Capability of Dye Degradation

The facile synthetic method for the preparation of incorporated carbon quantum dots (CQDs)/Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) with well-aligned silicon nanowire (SiNW) arrays is demonstrated, offering the superior photodegradation capabilities covering UV to visible wavelength regions. By examining the morphology, microstructure, crystallinity, chemical feature, surface groups, light-emitting, and reflection characteristics, these hybrid heterostructures are systematically identified. Moreover, the involving degradation kinetics, band diagram, cycling capability, and underlying mechanism of photodegradation are investigated, validating their remarkable and reliable photocatalytic performances contributed from the strongly reduced light reflectivity, superior capability of charge separation, and sound wettability with dye solutions.

Dual functional modes for nanostructured p-Cu2O/n-Si heterojunction photodiodes

Many applications require a photodetector (PD) with multiple functional modes. This study demonstrates a dual functional PD with a simple structure that uses a nanostructured p-Cu₂O/n-Si heterojunction. This device features a self-powering characteristic for an open-circuit voltage (V _oc) of 0.5 V and exhibits an external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 3780% at a reverse bias of -5 V. There is a high EQE at low reverse-bias because trapped holes cause charge to be injected from the electrode. The nanostructured p-Cu₂O/n-Si heterojunction also has a high response speed (<10 ms) in the self-powered mode because there is a built-in potential within p-n junction. This study shows that a nanostructured p-Cu₂O/n-Si heterojunction acts as a self-powered PD for reducing power consumption and as a photomultiplication (PM)-type PD with high internal gain.