Stimulating photodiode characteristics of hybrid ZnPc-MWCNTs

Abstract The ability to functionalize multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with organic semiconductors is a promising methodology to promote their use in multiple optoelectronic applications, especially at the visible region of the optical spectra. In this article, we investigate the structural, optical, and electrical properties of chemically synthesized MWCNTs hybridized with zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) molecules. Interestingly, the hybrid ZnPc-MWCNTs optical bandgap shifts towards the visible light at 2.6 eV instead of the near-infrared bandgap of the pristine sample at 1.2 eV. Besides, the ZnPc-MWCNTs hybrid exhibits enhanced p-n heterojunction photodiode characteristics that are significantly improved with temperature increase. Moreover, the I-V curves of the hybrid ZnPc-MWCNTs sample under visible illumination conditions express a current intensity three times higher than the pristine MWCNTs sample. This promotes the use of the ZnPc-MWCNTs hybrid in various optoelectronic applications working in the visible region of optical spectra.