Catalyst-free growth of a Zn2GeO4 nanowire network for high-performance transfer-free solar-blind deep UV detection

• Published in: Physica. E, Low-dimensional systems & nanostructures Low-dimensional systems & nanostructures, 2019-03, Vol.107, p.1-4
• Main Authors: Zhao, Yiming, Feng, Shuanglong, Jiang, Haitao, Ma, Sai, Tao, Zhiyong, Lu, Wenqiang, Fan, Yaxian
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Catalyst-free; Ultraviolet photodetector; Zn2GeO4 nanowire
• ISSN: 1386-9477; 1873-1759
• DOI: 10.1016/j.physe.2018.11.015

Solar-blind deep-ultraviolet (DUV) photodetectors have attracted wide attention because of their extensive military and civil applications. The ternary oxide Zn2GeO4 is an ideal material with a wide bandgap (Eg = 4.69 eV). In this work, DUV photodetectors based on a ternary Zn2GeO4 nanowire (NW) network were fabricated on SiO2/Si substrates. Reactive ion etching of the SiO2/Si wafer was used to grow the NW network to avoid contamination of the Au catalyst during synthesis of the Zn2GeO4 NW network via high-temperature chemical vapor deposition. Photodetectors based the Zn2GeO4 NW revealed fast response and recovery times, which is attributed to the unique cross-junction barrier-dominated conductance of the NW network. Results showed that the ternary oxide-based NW network is an ideal building block for nanoscale solar-blind photodetectors with superior performance. •A new method called reactive ion etching and apply it to a SiO2/Si wafer to produce a substrate on which to grow a Zn2GeO4 NW network.•A high ratio (40,000 times) of light current to dark current and fast response and recovery times (within 600 and 250 ms, respectively).•The reason of outstanding responsibility was systemically investigated by adjusting the interim morphologies and interface of synthesized Zn2GeO4 NW network.