Self-connected CuO–ZnO radial core–shell heterojunction nanowire arrays grown on interdigitated electrodes for visible-light photodetectors

An original photodetector system based on self-connected CuO–ZnO radial core–shell heterojunction nanowire arrays grown on metallic interdigitated electrodes, operating as visible-light photodetector was developed by combining simple preparation approaches. Metallic interdigitated electrodes were fabricated on Si/SiO(2) substrates using a conventional photolithography process. Subsequently, a Cu layer was electrodeposited on top of the metallic interdigitated electrodes. The CuO nanowire arrays (core) were obtained by thermal oxidation in air of the Cu layer. Afterwards, a ZnO thin film (shell) was deposited by RF magnetron sputtering covering the surface of the CuO nanowires. The morphological, structural, compositional, optical, electrical and photoelectrical properties of the CuO nanowire arrays and CuO–ZnO core–shell nanowire arrays grown on metallic interdigitated electrodes were investigated. The performances of the devices were evaluated by assessing the figures of merit of the photodetectors based on self-connected CuO–ZnO core–shell heterojunction nanowire arrays grown on the metallic interdigitated electrodes. The radial p–n heterojunction formed between CuO and ZnO generates a type II band alignment that favors an efficient charge separation of photogenerated electron–hole pairs at the CuO–ZnO interface, suppressing their recombination and consequently enhancing the photoresponse and the photoresponsivity of the photodetectors. The electrical connections in the fabricated photodetector devices are made without any additional complex and time-consuming lithographic step through a self-connecting approach for CuO–ZnO core–shell heterojunction nanowire arrays grown directly onto the Ti/Pt metallic interdigitated electrodes. Therefore, the present study provides an accessible path for employing low dimensional complex structures in functional optoelectronic devices such as photodetectors.