Work

Tailoring UV Responsivity and Quantum Efficiency of ZnO Nanorod‐Polymer‐Dispersed Cholesteric Liquid Crystal Heterostructure‐Based Photodetector Device

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The development of an advanced ultraviolet (UV) photodetector that integrates a polymer‐dispersed cholesteric liquid crystal (PDCLC) with a ZnO nanorods (ZNRs) heterostructure is reported. The ZNRs are synthesized via a hydrothermal method and then spin‐coated with PDCLC, resulting in a photodetector with notably enhanced electrical and optical performance. Under 365 nm UV illumination at 5 mW cm−2 and 10 V, the PDCLC‐coated ZNRs array achieved a high photocurrent density of 171 µA cm−2, showcasing significant gains over devices without PDCLC. The novel ZNRs‐PDCLC heterostructure demonstrated a remarkable responsivity of 172.21 mA W−1 and an external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 58.44%, a substantial improvement compared to ZNRs‐only (72.27 mA W−1, 23.39% EQE) and ZnO seed layer‐based devices (14.48 mA W−1, 4.8% EQE). This enhancement stems from the PDCLC effective sensitization, which promotes charge carrier activation and energy band alignment in ZnO, resulting in a dynamic, time‐responsive photodetection. These findings underscore the potential of ZNRs‐PDCLC heterostructures to drive advances in high‐performance UV photodetectors.

Source: Advanced Materials Technologies

DOI: 10.1002/admt.202401995

Authors: Ramadevi Suguru Pathinti, Lavanya Thyda, Kuppusamy Thangaraju, Yogendra Kumar Mishra, Jayalakshmi Vallamkondu

Institutions: National Institute of Technology Warangal, University of Southern Denmark

Language: English

Topic: ZnO doping and properties

Subfield: Materials Chemistry

Field: Materials Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Institute of Technology Warangal, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, India, Svend Beck, Peter Holm og Vagn Jacobsens Almene Fond, Scheme for Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration

Award: G4204773234