Simple Template-Mediated Fabrication of ZnO Nanotube Arrays and Their Application in Flexible Ultraviolet Photodetectors

Abstract

ZnO, as an important semiconductor, has been extensively studied for a wide range of applications. To date, with the development of micro/nano manufacturing technology, various hierarchical ZnO nanostructures have been fabricated and explored, showing encouraging success in advanced photodetectors. ZnO nanotube structure has a high surface-to-volume ratio, and versatile hollow channels, which are promising for sensing applications. Typical nanotube arrays primarily rely on advanced nanofabrication technologies. Simple and low-cost fabrication strategies are still lacking. Herein, we report a simple template fabrication method to obtain vertically aligned ZnO nanotube arrays. Using flexible, etched polyimide membranes as the template, ZnO nanotube arrays can be prepared in situ by dip-coating the sample into a zinc acetate solution followed by heating. Different hierarchical ZnO nanotube structures were obtained with the nanotube arrays when the method was combined with hydrothermal growth. We have demonstrated that the structures may be used in flexible and transparent photodetectors. Our work provides a facile approach for fabricating ZnO nanotube arrays and expands the application of ZnO nanotube structures to flexible and transparent photodetectors.

Self-Powered Photoelectrochemical Photodetectors Based on a CsPbBr3/S-g-C3N4 Heterojunction-Sensitized 3D ZnO Nanostructured Thin Film

“…1 In recent years, PD devices based on metal-oxide semiconductors, especially zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures, have been widely used due to their beneficial properties such as ease of manufacturing, morphology and defect control, eco-friendly nature, and excellent stability. 2,3 Low-temperature synthesis can provide various morphologies on nano-and microscales, making ZnO a promising material in optoelectronic and photoelectrochemical devices. 4−6 Thus, there is a great variety of ZnO-based photoelectrodes and PD devices bearing various nanostructures, such as nanowires (NWs), 2 nanorods (NRs), 7,8 nanotubes (NTs), 9,10 nanodisks (NDs), 11 nanosheets (NSs), 12−14 and nanoflowers (NFs).…”

“…2,3 Low-temperature synthesis can provide various morphologies on nano-and microscales, making ZnO a promising material in optoelectronic and photoelectrochemical devices. 4−6 Thus, there is a great variety of ZnO-based photoelectrodes and PD devices bearing various nanostructures, such as nanowires (NWs), 2 nanorods (NRs), 7,8 nanotubes (NTs), 9,10 nanodisks (NDs), 11 nanosheets (NSs), 12−14 and nanoflowers (NFs). 15 Among all ZnO nanostructures, 3D ZnO nanostructures have attracted great attention due to their striking features such as a high surface area, enhanced optical absorption owing to multiple reflections and scattering, and better permeability.…”

Stretchable and Flexible Metal–Semiconductor–Metal UV Photodetector Based on Silver-Doped ZnO Nanostructures Using a Drop-Casting Method

“…21 Recently, Chen and Hang proposed a simple method for flexible photodetector fabrication based on hydrothermal synthesis of ZnO nanotube arrays. 22 However, in all cases, there are a couple of limitations such as costly device fabrication, poor photocurrent ratio, limited stretchability/flexibility, or even slow rise/decay time.…”

“…Additionally, Nasiri et al highlighted the advantageous application of porous networked ZnO nanostructures in high-performance CMOS-compatible visible-blind PDs . Recently, Chen and Hang proposed a simple method for flexible photodetector fabrication based on hydrothermal synthesis of ZnO nanotube arrays . However, in all cases, there are a couple of limitations such as costly device fabrication, poor photocurrent ratio, limited stretchability/flexibility, or even slow rise/decay time.…”

Capillary-Assisted Assembly of Soft Conductive Polymer Nanopillar/Tube Arrays and Applications

“…Indeed, template-based synthesis using track-etched membranes can be traced to 1989 . Since then, various nanopillar and nanotube arrays (e.g., Pt, ZnO, Al 2 O 3 , SiO 2 , and silk) have been developed using different methods (e.g., wetting deposition, electrodeposition, and atomic layer deposition). ,,− Despite the progress, challenges remain, particularly in their limited capabilities to achieve a uniform morphology on a large scale . Especially for soft polymeric materials, it is extremely challenging to obtain uniform and ordered soft nanopillar/tube arrays with decent sample sizes due to the ease of deformation and collapse .…”