Unexpected optical response of single ZnO nanowires probed using controllable electrical contacts

Y. J. Zeng; M. Menghini; D. Y. Li; S. S. Lin; Z. Z. Ye; J. Hadermann; T. Moorkens; J. W. Seo; J.-P. Locquet; C. Van Haesendonck

doi:10.1039/C1CP00012H

Unexpected optical response of single ZnO nanowires probed using controllable electrical contacts

Y. J. Zeng,*^a M. Menghini,^a D. Y. Li,^a S. S. Lin,^b Z. Z. Ye,^b J. Hadermann,^c T. Moorkens,^a J. W. Seo,^d J.-P. Locquet^a and C. Van Haesendonck^a

Author affiliations

* Corresponding authors

^a Laboratory of Solid-State Physics and Magnetism, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200 D, BE-3001 Leuven, Belgium
E-mail: yujia.zeng@fys.kuleuven.be

^b State Key Laboratory of Silicon Materials, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, P. R. China

^c Electron Microscopy for Materials Science – EMAT, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, BE-, Belgium

^d Department of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 44, BE-3001 Leuven, Belgium

Abstract

Relying on combined electron-beam lithography and lift-off methods Au/Ti bilayer electrical contacts were attached to individual ZnO nanowires (NWs) that were grown by a vapor phase deposition method. Reliable Schottky-type as well as ohmic contacts were obtained depending on whether or not an ion milling process was used. The response of the ZnO NWs to ultraviolet light was found to be sensitive to the type of contacts. The intrinsic electronic properties of the ZnO NWs were studied in a field-effect transistor configuration. The transfer characteristics, including gate threshold voltage, hysteresis and operational mode, were demonstrated to unexpectedly respond to visible light. The origin of this effect could be accounted for by the presence of point defects in the ZnO NWs.

Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics

Unexpected optical response of single ZnO nanowires probed using controllable electrical contacts

Abstract

Article information

Download Citation

Permissions

Unexpected optical response of single ZnO nanowires probed using controllable electrical contacts

Social activity

Search articles by author

Spotlight

Advertisements