Pt/AlGaN Nanoarchitecture: Toward High Responsivity, Self-Powered Ultraviolet-Sensitive Photodetection

• DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.0c03357
• Publication Date: 2020-12-15T18:16:05Z
• Authors: Danhao Wang; Xin Liu; Shi Fang; Chen Huang; Yang Kang; Huabin Yu; Zhongling Liu; Haochen Zhang; Ran Long; Yujie Xiong; Yangjian Lin; Yang Yue; Binghui Ge; Tien Khee Ng; Boon S. Ooi; Zetian Mi; Jr-Hau He; Haiding Sun
• Keywords: Photodetection

Energy-saving photodetectors are the key components in future photonic systems. Particularly, self-powered photoelectrochemical-type (PEC–PDs), which depart completely from classical solid-state junction device, have lately intrigued intensive interest to meet next-generation power-independent and environment-sensitive photodetection. Herein, we construct, for first time, solar-blind PEC PDs based on self-assembled AlGaN nanostructures silicon. Importantly, with proper surface platinum (Pt) decoration, a significant boost of photon responsivity by more than an order magnitude was achieved newly built Pt/AlGaN nanoarchitectures, demonstrating strikingly high 45 mA/W record fast response/recovery time 47/20 ms without external power source. Such photodetection originates unparalleled material quality, interfacial kinetics, as well carrier separation efficiency suggests that embracement defect-free wide-bandgap semiconductor appropriate decoration offers unprecedented opportunity designing energy-efficient large-scale optoelectronic systems silicon platform.