UV-Visible photovoltaic detector based on biomaterial-inorganic semiconductor in the propolis/n-Si heterojunction configuration

•A high-performance UV-Visible photovoltaic detector based on propolis/n-Si has been fabricated.•The photovoltaic detector has a rectification ratio of 23815 for ± 2 V.•The I-V graph showed that propolis/n-Si is sensitive to both visible and UV light.•The maximum detectivities were 4.04 × 109 Jones at the UV light of 365 nm and 4.17 × 108 Jones visible light. Here, we will demonstrate that propolis can be used in photodetectors in self-powered mode, long-term stable and high performance by coating on n-Si with spin coating. The surface morphology of the propolis was studied by SEM-EDX and XRD analyses and elemental analysis was investigated by ICP-MS spectroscopy. The propolis/n-Si photovoltaic detector showed excellent diode characteristics with a rectification ratio of 23815 for ± 2 V. It was seen that the propolis/n-Si photovoltaic detector exhibited self-powered mode. Maximum responsivities of 0.113 A/W in the UV wavelength of 365 nm, and 0.018 A/W in the visible light intensity of 150 mW/cm2 were achieved. The maximum detectivities were 4.04 × 109 Jones at the UV light of 365 nm and 4.17 × 108 Jones visible light. It is expected that the self-powered propolis/n-Si photovoltaic detector will have potential application in future optoelectronic devices. [Display omitted]