High-performance Sb-doped p-ZnO NW films for self-powered piezoelectric strain sensors

Abstract Novel wide-bandgap piezoelectric semiconductor materials, with wurtzite structure, set a great impetus to research, which outreach the promising applications in optoelectronic devices, wearable electronic devices and medical monitoring systems. Here, we studied the piezotronic effect of p-ZnO NW films under strain which were suitable for self-powered tactile sensors. Typically, the doping level was 2 × 1017 cm−3 at the 2% Sb doping in solution. Based on different devices design, it was verified that the piezoelectric charges induced by applied strain could significantly affect the charge carrier separation and transport at the interface/junction. For p-ZnO NW thin film devices, the negative piezoelectric charge reduces Schottky barrier height, while the positive piezoelectric charge increases it. Self-powered strain sensors were then developed based on the changes of piezoelectric potential under different strain, which have a potential candidate for applications in man-machine interaction interface and biomedical sciences.