Progress in UV Photodetectors Based on ZnO Nanomaterials: A Review of the Detection Mechanisms and Their Improvement
Recent advancements in ultraviolet (UV) photodetection technology have driven intensive research on zinc oxide (ZnO) nanomaterials due to their exceptional optoelectronic properties. This review systematically examines the fundamental detection mechanisms in ZnO-based UV photodetectors (UVPDs), incl...
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MDPI AG
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Nanomaterials |
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| author | Gaoda Li Bolang Cheng Haibo Zhang Xinghua Zhu Dingyu Yang |
| author_facet | Gaoda Li Bolang Cheng Haibo Zhang Xinghua Zhu Dingyu Yang |
| author_sort | Gaoda Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Recent advancements in ultraviolet (UV) photodetection technology have driven intensive research on zinc oxide (ZnO) nanomaterials due to their exceptional optoelectronic properties. This review systematically examines the fundamental detection mechanisms in ZnO-based UV photodetectors (UVPDs), including photoconductivity effects, the threshold dimension phenomenon and light-modulated interface barriers. Based on these mechanisms, a large surface barrier due to surface-adsorbed O<sub>2</sub> is generally constructed to achieve a high sensitivity. However, this improvement is obtained with a decrease in response speed due to the slow desorption and re-adsorption processes of surface O<sub>2</sub> during UV light detection. Various improvement strategies have been proposed to overcome this drawback and keep the high sensitivity, including ZnO–organic semiconductor interfacing, defect engineering and doping, surface modification, heterojunction and the Schottky barrier. The general idea is to modify the adsorption state of O<sub>2</sub> or replace the adsorbed O<sub>2</sub> with another material to build a light-regulated surface or an interface barrier, as surveyed in the third section. The critical trade-off between sensitivity and response speed is also addressed. Finally, after a summary of these mechanisms and the improvement methods, this review is concluded with an outlook on the future development of ZnO nanomaterial UVPDs. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1bc0f434052541bca6ea2cdeb49bd671 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2079-4991 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Nanomaterials |
| spelling | doaj-art-1bc0f434052541bca6ea2cdeb49bd6712025-08-20T02:59:15ZengMDPI AGNanomaterials2079-49912025-04-0115964410.3390/nano15090644Progress in UV Photodetectors Based on ZnO Nanomaterials: A Review of the Detection Mechanisms and Their ImprovementGaoda Li0Bolang Cheng1Haibo Zhang2Xinghua Zhu3Dingyu Yang4College of Optoelectronic Technology, Chengdu University of Information Technology, Chengdu 610225, ChinaSchool of Physics and Optoelectronics, Xiangtan University, Xiangtan 411105, ChinaCollege of Optoelectronic Technology, Chengdu University of Information Technology, Chengdu 610225, ChinaSchool of Materials Science and Engineering, Xihua University, Chengdu 610039, ChinaCollege of Optoelectronic Technology, Chengdu University of Information Technology, Chengdu 610225, ChinaRecent advancements in ultraviolet (UV) photodetection technology have driven intensive research on zinc oxide (ZnO) nanomaterials due to their exceptional optoelectronic properties. This review systematically examines the fundamental detection mechanisms in ZnO-based UV photodetectors (UVPDs), including photoconductivity effects, the threshold dimension phenomenon and light-modulated interface barriers. Based on these mechanisms, a large surface barrier due to surface-adsorbed O<sub>2</sub> is generally constructed to achieve a high sensitivity. However, this improvement is obtained with a decrease in response speed due to the slow desorption and re-adsorption processes of surface O<sub>2</sub> during UV light detection. Various improvement strategies have been proposed to overcome this drawback and keep the high sensitivity, including ZnO–organic semiconductor interfacing, defect engineering and doping, surface modification, heterojunction and the Schottky barrier. The general idea is to modify the adsorption state of O<sub>2</sub> or replace the adsorbed O<sub>2</sub> with another material to build a light-regulated surface or an interface barrier, as surveyed in the third section. The critical trade-off between sensitivity and response speed is also addressed. Finally, after a summary of these mechanisms and the improvement methods, this review is concluded with an outlook on the future development of ZnO nanomaterial UVPDs.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/15/9/644UV photodetectorsZnOphotoconductivitysurface depletionsurface barrier |
| spellingShingle | Gaoda Li Bolang Cheng Haibo Zhang Xinghua Zhu Dingyu Yang Progress in UV Photodetectors Based on ZnO Nanomaterials: A Review of the Detection Mechanisms and Their Improvement Nanomaterials UV photodetectors ZnO photoconductivity surface depletion surface barrier |
| title | Progress in UV Photodetectors Based on ZnO Nanomaterials: A Review of the Detection Mechanisms and Their Improvement |
| title_full | Progress in UV Photodetectors Based on ZnO Nanomaterials: A Review of the Detection Mechanisms and Their Improvement |
| title_fullStr | Progress in UV Photodetectors Based on ZnO Nanomaterials: A Review of the Detection Mechanisms and Their Improvement |
| title_full_unstemmed | Progress in UV Photodetectors Based on ZnO Nanomaterials: A Review of the Detection Mechanisms and Their Improvement |
| title_short | Progress in UV Photodetectors Based on ZnO Nanomaterials: A Review of the Detection Mechanisms and Their Improvement |
| title_sort | progress in uv photodetectors based on zno nanomaterials a review of the detection mechanisms and their improvement |
| topic | UV photodetectors ZnO photoconductivity surface depletion surface barrier |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/15/9/644 |
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