A ZnO micro/nanowire has been utilized to fabricate Schottky-contacted humidity sensors based on a metal-semiconductor-metal （M-S-M） structure. By means of the piezotronic effect, the signal level, sensitivity and s...A ZnO micro/nanowire has been utilized to fabricate Schottky-contacted humidity sensors based on a metal-semiconductor-metal （M-S-M） structure. By means of the piezotronic effect, the signal level, sensitivity and sensing resolution of the humidity sensor were significantly enhanced when applying an external strain. Since a higher Schottky barrier markedly reduces the signal level, while a lower Schottky barrier decreases the sensor sensitivity due to increased ohmic transport, a 0.22% compressive strain was found to optimize the performance of the humidity sensor, with the largest responsivity being 1,240%. The physical mechanism behind the observed mechanical-electrical behavior was carefully studied by using band structure diagrams. This work provides a promising way to significantly enhance the overall performance of a Schottky-contact structured micro/nanowire sensor.展开更多
We present an ultrasensitive ultraviolet （UV） detector based on a p-type ZnS nanoribbon （NR）/indium tin oxide （ITO） Schottky barrier diode （SBD）. The device exhibits a pseudo-photovoltaic behavior which can al...We present an ultrasensitive ultraviolet （UV） detector based on a p-type ZnS nanoribbon （NR）/indium tin oxide （ITO） Schottky barrier diode （SBD）. The device exhibits a pseudo-photovoltaic behavior which can allow the SBD to detect UV light irradiation with incident power of 6 × 10^-17 W （-85 photons/s on the NR） at room temperature, with excellent reproducibility and stability. The corresponding detectivity and photoconductive gain are calculated to be 3.1 × 10^20 cm.Hz1/2.W^-1 and 6.6 × 10^5, respectively. It is found that the presence of the trapping states at the p-ZnS NWITO interface plays a crucial role in determining the ultrahigh sensitivity of this nanoSBDs. Based on our theoretical calculation, even ultra-low photon fluxes on the order of several tens of photons could induce a significant change in interface potential and consequently cause a large photocurrent variation. The present study provides new opportunities for developiphigh-performance optoelectronic devices in the future.展开更多
In order to reveal the conduction mechanism of ZnO varistor, the pulsed electroacoustic (PEA) measurement is employed to investigate the space charge distribution characteristics of ZnO varistors under different curre...In order to reveal the conduction mechanism of ZnO varistor, the pulsed electroacoustic (PEA) measurement is employed to investigate the space charge distribution characteristics of ZnO varistors under different current densities in this paper. Experimental results show that the relationship between the space charge and the current density is consistent with the voltage-current characteristics, and can reflect the nonlinear characteristics of ZnO varistor. The space charge increases linearly with the increase of the electric field strength and the current density in the small current region, this reflects the decrease of the surface states of the grain boundary and changes of the Schottky barrier. There exists a transition region between the small current and middle current regions, where the current is composed of the current by the emission of thermally activated electrons and the tunneling current. In the middle current region, the space charge will decrease as the current increases, and will disappear with the depletion layer decreasing to zero.展开更多
文摘A ZnO micro/nanowire has been utilized to fabricate Schottky-contacted humidity sensors based on a metal-semiconductor-metal （M-S-M） structure. By means of the piezotronic effect, the signal level, sensitivity and sensing resolution of the humidity sensor were significantly enhanced when applying an external strain. Since a higher Schottky barrier markedly reduces the signal level, while a lower Schottky barrier decreases the sensor sensitivity due to increased ohmic transport, a 0.22% compressive strain was found to optimize the performance of the humidity sensor, with the largest responsivity being 1,240%. The physical mechanism behind the observed mechanical-electrical behavior was carefully studied by using band structure diagrams. This work provides a promising way to significantly enhance the overall performance of a Schottky-contact structured micro/nanowire sensor.
文摘We present an ultrasensitive ultraviolet （UV） detector based on a p-type ZnS nanoribbon （NR）/indium tin oxide （ITO） Schottky barrier diode （SBD）. The device exhibits a pseudo-photovoltaic behavior which can allow the SBD to detect UV light irradiation with incident power of 6 × 10^-17 W （-85 photons/s on the NR） at room temperature, with excellent reproducibility and stability. The corresponding detectivity and photoconductive gain are calculated to be 3.1 × 10^20 cm.Hz1/2.W^-1 and 6.6 × 10^5, respectively. It is found that the presence of the trapping states at the p-ZnS NWITO interface plays a crucial role in determining the ultrahigh sensitivity of this nanoSBDs. Based on our theoretical calculation, even ultra-low photon fluxes on the order of several tens of photons could induce a significant change in interface potential and consequently cause a large photocurrent variation. The present study provides new opportunities for developiphigh-performance optoelectronic devices in the future.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 50577021, 50877025)the Doctoral Program Foundation of Institutions of Higher Education of China (Grant No. 200800790004)
文摘In order to reveal the conduction mechanism of ZnO varistor, the pulsed electroacoustic (PEA) measurement is employed to investigate the space charge distribution characteristics of ZnO varistors under different current densities in this paper. Experimental results show that the relationship between the space charge and the current density is consistent with the voltage-current characteristics, and can reflect the nonlinear characteristics of ZnO varistor. The space charge increases linearly with the increase of the electric field strength and the current density in the small current region, this reflects the decrease of the surface states of the grain boundary and changes of the Schottky barrier. There exists a transition region between the small current and middle current regions, where the current is composed of the current by the emission of thermally activated electrons and the tunneling current. In the middle current region, the space charge will decrease as the current increases, and will disappear with the depletion layer decreasing to zero.
