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Title: Gate-tunable photocurrent in ZnO nanowires mediated by nanowire-substrate interface states

Abstract

We report the observation of gate-tunable photocurrent in ZnO nanowires under optical excitation in the visible regime. Particularly, the photocurrent can be tuned by one order of magnitude with moderate changes in the backgate voltages (from −10 V to 10 V), and by more than two orders of magnitude within an extended range of the backgate voltage (several tens of volts). Using scanning photocurrent microscopy, single-nanowire photocurrent spectroscopy, and numerical calculations, we suggest that this gate tunability originates from the nanowire/substrate (Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}) interface states, where the electron occupation of these states and the excitation of electrons are controlled by the backgate voltage. This external gate tunability of the photocarrier generation facilitated by interface states provides an additional way to control photodetecting and photovoltaic properties, and this approach can also be extended to other nanostructures, such as two-dimensional semiconductors, where the surface effects are significant.

Authors:
; ; ; ;  [1]
  1. Department of Physics and Astronomy, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164 (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22412770
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Applied Physics Letters
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 106; Journal Issue: 9; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0003-6951
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY; ELECTRIC POTENTIAL; ELECTRONS; EXCITATION; INTERFACES; MICROSCOPY; NANOWIRES; PHOTOVOLTAIC EFFECT; SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS; SILICON NITRIDES; SPECTROSCOPY; SUBSTRATES; SURFACES; TWO-DIMENSIONAL SYSTEMS; ZINC OXIDES

Citation Formats

Yang, Liangliang, Wang, Qiaoming, Tao, Xin, Taylor, Shelby P., and Gu, Yi. Gate-tunable photocurrent in ZnO nanowires mediated by nanowire-substrate interface states. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1063/1.4914108.
Yang, Liangliang, Wang, Qiaoming, Tao, Xin, Taylor, Shelby P., & Gu, Yi. Gate-tunable photocurrent in ZnO nanowires mediated by nanowire-substrate interface states. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4914108
Yang, Liangliang, Wang, Qiaoming, Tao, Xin, Taylor, Shelby P., and Gu, Yi. 2015. "Gate-tunable photocurrent in ZnO nanowires mediated by nanowire-substrate interface states". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4914108.
@article{osti_22412770,
title = {Gate-tunable photocurrent in ZnO nanowires mediated by nanowire-substrate interface states},
author = {Yang, Liangliang and Wang, Qiaoming and Tao, Xin and Taylor, Shelby P. and Gu, Yi},
abstractNote = {We report the observation of gate-tunable photocurrent in ZnO nanowires under optical excitation in the visible regime. Particularly, the photocurrent can be tuned by one order of magnitude with moderate changes in the backgate voltages (from −10 V to 10 V), and by more than two orders of magnitude within an extended range of the backgate voltage (several tens of volts). Using scanning photocurrent microscopy, single-nanowire photocurrent spectroscopy, and numerical calculations, we suggest that this gate tunability originates from the nanowire/substrate (Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}) interface states, where the electron occupation of these states and the excitation of electrons are controlled by the backgate voltage. This external gate tunability of the photocarrier generation facilitated by interface states provides an additional way to control photodetecting and photovoltaic properties, and this approach can also be extended to other nanostructures, such as two-dimensional semiconductors, where the surface effects are significant.},
doi = {10.1063/1.4914108},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22412770}, journal = {Applied Physics Letters},
issn = {0003-6951},
number = 9,
volume = 106,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Mar 02 00:00:00 EST 2015},
month = {Mon Mar 02 00:00:00 EST 2015}
}