All-solution-processed, high-performance self-powered UVA photodetectors with non-opaque silver nanowires electrode

Abstract Extensive efforts have been made to develop novel transparent self-driven photodetectors to capture harmful ultraviolet light and to reduce energy consumption. Here, an all-solution-processed, high-performance self-powered UVA photodetector with non-opaque silver nanowires (Ag-NWs) electrode of > 80% overall transparency is presented, which paves a way for devising efficient transparent electronics. The UVA photodetector ITO/ZnO(200 nm)/Ag-NWs possesses very low dark current of ∼ 10-11 A due to the large surface to volume ratio with a high On/Off ratio of 103 and a short-circuit current of 0.05 µA. A responsivity of 6 mA/W with a specific detectivity of 2.14 × 1011 Jones and the rising/decaying time of 360 ms/1.92 s were obtained under 45 µW/cm2 365 nm illumination at zero bias (i.e. in self-powered mode). This work uniquely combines the features of high optical transparency and self-power ability into UVA photodetectors and it would enable a broad range of optoelectronic applications.