Enhanced-Performance Self-Powered Solar-Blind UV-C Photodetector Based on n-ZnO Quantum Dots Functionalized by p-CuO Micro-pyramids

Smart solar-blind UV-C band photodetectors suffer from low responsivity in a self-powered mode. Here, we address this issue by fabricating novel enhanced photodetector array based on solution-processed n-ZnO quantum dots (QDs) functionalized p-CuO micro-pyramids. Self-assembled catalyst-free micro-pyramid arrays are fabricated pre-ablated Si substrate pulsed laser deposition without need for catalyst layer or seeding, while the QDs synthesized femtosecond-laser ablation liquid technique. The is spray-coating ZnO CuO array. performance optimized via p-n junction structure as both p-ZnO and layers characterized wide gap energies. Two (with micro-pyramids) to show role of enhancing device performance. QD/p-CuO micro-pyramid/Si superior photo-responsivity ∼956 mA/W at 244 nm with faster photoresponse (<80 ms) 260 cut-off compared QDs/Si photodetectors, confirming that micro-pyramids enhance high ∼29 demonstrated. These high-responsivity solar-bind can be used range applications.