Recent Advances in ZnO Based Ultraviolet Photodetectors

Abstract

With rapid technological advancements in recent years and development in the understanding of novel phenomenon involving light matter interaction, the photodetection devices have emerged as a topic of in-depth research. UV radiation detection offers a wide range of applications, such as chemical, environmental and biological monitoring, flame and radiation detection, astronomical studies, and optical communications. Specifically, the ultraviolet (UV) photodetectors (PD) have drawn special attention due to their wide use in military applications. ZnO has been considered as one of the most suitable?semiconducting material for UV PDs due to its wide energy bandgap. This review article provides a general overview of research advancements and latest development achieved in last decade on ZnO based UV PDs. Different nanostructure configurations of ZnO including nanowires, nanorods, nanosheets, and nanohybrids have been considered to analyze the performance parameters of corresponding UV photodetectors. © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.