Laser annealing enhanced the photophysical performance of Pt/n-PSi/ZnO/Pt-based photodetectors

•Thermal and the photon energies were coupled to synthesize n-PSi/ZnO NCs metal–semiconductor-metal (MSM) UV photodetector.•The number of pulses determined the morphological and optical properties of the metal–semiconductor-metal (MSM) UV photodetector.•The responsivity of the laser annealed n-PSi/ZnO NCs can reach as high as 6.35 A/W.•The response and recovery times are as low as 0.30 s and 0.26 s, respectively.•The current gain under 380 nm UV illumination is 38.72.•Achievement of good stability, repeatability and photoresponse of these devices. Herein, the effect of pulsed Nd:YAG laser irradiation at different fluencies in air at room temperature on the performance of n-PSi/ZnO-based UV MSM photodetector was demonstrated. Thermal and photon energies were coupled to synthesize n-PSi/ZnO NCs heterojunctions. The porous silicon (PSi) films with nano-sized pore arrays were first prepared via photoelectrochemical etching (PECE) of n-type silicon wafers with 45 mA/cm2 current density for a duration of 30 min. This was followed by radio frequency sputtering (RFS) of ZnO on PSi at 700 °C and irradiating with a Nd: YAG laser pulses with laser fluence of 40 mJ/cm2. X-ray diffraction analysis indicates the formation of ZnO wurtzite hexagonal crystal structure of n-PSi/ZnO NCs, where the crystallite size decreases (96–29 nm) with number of pulses. Field emission electron scanning microscopy and atomic force microscopy reveal porous nanostructure, arrays of nearly spherically shape particles homogeneously distributed on the entire surface where roughness increases (84–139 nm) with number of pulses. Photoluminescence spectroscopy reveals intrinsic band-to-band transition, donor-acceptor pair emission and quenching of the broadband intensity related to improved of crystallinity, meanwhile the band gap energy of the n-PSi/ZnO NCs is found to decrease (3.26 – 3.13 V). The Nd:YAG laser annealing demonstrate a positive effect on the properties of n-PSi/ZnO NCs photodetector, exhibiting very high sensitivity (3772.92) and very short rise and recovery times (0.30 s and 0.26 s).