Achieving stable photodiode characteristics under ionizing radiation with a self-adaptive nanostructured heterojunction CNWs/CdZnTe

This study proposed self-adaptive nanostructured heterojunction UV-VIS-NIR photodiodes carbon nanowalls (CNWs)/cadmium zinc telluride (CdZnTe) exhibiting stable photoelectric characteristics under ionizing radiation conditions. We carried out a comprehensive analysis of the impact of proton radiation with an energy of 1.5 MeV and a total fluence of 1012 protons/cm2 on the properties of CNWs and CdZnTe functional layers, as well as on the main photodiode characteristics of the CNWs/CdZnTe heterojunctions, employing a set of state-of-the-art materials and device characterization techniques. Responsivity and detectivity of the prepared heterojunctions even slightly improve after exposure to harsh ionizing radiation conditions due to the unique radiation-induced self-adaptive features of the CNWs/CdZnTe heterojunction interface. The characteristics of the CNWs/CdZnTe photodiodes before and after high-energy proton bombardment demonstrate excellent stability, which is the key requirement for long-term and reliable operation of optoelectronic devices in space or radioactively contaminated environments. [Display omitted] •Nanostructured heterojunction photodiodes carbon nanowalls/cadmium zinc telluride.•Proton radiation with an energy of 1.5 MeV and a total fluence of 1012 protons/cm2.•Radiation-tolerant photodiode characteristics of CNWs/CdZnTe heterojunctions.