Light and Shadow Effects in the Submerged Photolytic Synthesis of Micropatterned CuO Nanoflowers and ZnO Nanorods as Optoelectronic Surfaces

Abstract

A facile surface patterning method using low temperature and atmospheric pressure is desirable for optoelectronic device fabrication. In this work, we demonstrate a fascinating dynamic fabrication method using light and shadow effects in submerged photolytic synthesis (L&S patterning) for CuO nanoflowers (NFs) and ZnO nanorods (NRs) surface micropatterning. In addition, galvanic reactions using appropriate metals can efficiently enhance NFs and NRs patterning. The principal of illumination effect was studied by photoelectrochemical measurements. Light induces a photoassisted localized cathodic reaction on the oxide surface through photoexcited electrons. Simultaneously, the shadowing effect from using a metal mesh prevents oxide formation, while galvanic reactions take place on the light-exposed area. This dynamic method enables facile and efficient surface patterning in water. Photoemission electron microscopy (PEEM) images and cathodoluminescence in SEM (SEM-CL) spectral analyses prove the useful electron and light emission properties of the products, respectively. A detailed discussion of their optoelectrical properties is given. The environmentally benign L&S patterning method does not require any organic catalyst to function in neutral water. Thus, this method has opened the possibility for facile, futuristic, one-pot, one-step, large-scale optoelectronic device fabrication.

Exploring zinc oxide morphologies for aqueous solar cells by a photoelectrochemical, computational, and multivariate approach

“…, 115–155 cm 2 V −1 s −1 ); (iii) a significant excitation binding energy (60 eV); (iv) a crystalline structure conducting to anisotropic growth, making readily available a comprehensive list of diverse morphologies. 58–60 ZnO-based DSSCs have thus been well explored in the previous years by the scientific community, with excellent outcomes also attributed to the efficient electron transport of this semiconductor and the resulting reduced recombination reactions in the photoelectrochemical cell. 61,62…”

Optimization of Electrical Performance of Defected n+-p-p+ Solar Cell with CdS/BaSi2/Cu2O Heterostructure Using SCAPs 1D

“…The band gap of CdS is of about 2.4 eV [20] supports this process. Zinc oxide (ZnO) is another promising material having wide and direct bandgap of 3.34 eV which makes it suitable as an opto-electronic material because of its exposure in the visible region [21]. Moreover, ZnO was certainly developed under 1D nanostructures [22] and considerably rich in nature [23].…”

CuO/PMMA Polymer Nanocomposites as Novel Resist Materials for E-Beam Lithography

“…Physical mixing of CuO nanofillers with the polymer host has also been reported in other works [ 22 , 23 , 24 ], but in all cases, the films were merely formed by drop-casting and lithographic patterning was not attempted. CuO was selected as the nanofiller as it has been proven to be one of the most promising and versatile metal oxides exhibiting a remarkable spectrum of properties, such as catalytic activity [ 25 ], energy storage capabilities [ 26 ], optoelectronic [ 27 , 28 ] and antibacterial properties [ 29 ], and most notably gas sensing properties [ 30 , 31 , 32 ]. This work was mainly devised with the latter in mind so as to create a novel CuO/PMMA resist material readily applicable for the development of polymer-based novel gas sensors [ 24 , 33 ].…”