Patterned ZnO nanorods/indium sulfide based self-powered photoelectrochemical photodetectors

Abstract

The present work reports the excellent alignment of zinc oxide nanorod arrays (ZnO NRAs) patterned via the maskless lithography technique which was used as a photoanode material for photoelectrochemical (PEC) photodetection applications. The effects of circular patterns having different diameters, different gaps between circles, and the utilization of indium sulfide (In2S3) as a light-absorbing material in the visible region have been investigated in the PEC photodetector (PD) system in two different electrolytes. PEC PD performance evaluation confirmed the positive effect of patterned ZnO NRAs-based photoanode in the presence of In2S3, enhancing 982.9 μAcm−2 of current density (Jphoto), 54.6 mA/W of responsivity (Rs), 1.98 × 1011 Jones of detectivity (D*) and 8.18 × 104 of selectivity (S%) values. Besides, the best-performing patterned ZnO NRAs/In2S3 has been used to construct a quasi-solid state assembly using the prepared ionic-gel electrolyte and consequently, 2.19 × 1011 Jones of D* value has been observed. After all, the proposed PEC PD devices exhibited fast rise/decay times(τr/τd) in millisecond extent at 400 nm of wavelength. © 2023 Elsevier B.V.