Electrical properties of Al/PCBM:ZnO/p-Si heterojunction for photodiode application

In this paper, the electrical characteristics of spin-coated PCBM:ZnO interlayered Al/PCBM:ZnO/Si diode are investigated under the aim of photodiode application. Under dark condition, the diode shows about four orders in magnitude rectification rate and diode illumination results in efficient rectification with increase in intensity. The analysis of current-voltage curve results a non-ideal diode characteristics according to the thermionic emission model due to the existence of parasitic resistances and interface states. The measured current-voltage values are used to extract the barrier height and ideality factor under dark and illumination conditions. Under illumination, photo-generated carriers contribute to the current flow and linear photo-conductivity behavior in photo-current measurements with illumination shows the possible use of hybrid PCBM:ZnO layer in Si-based photodiodes. In addition, change in the series and shunt resistance values under illumination is found to be effective in this light-sensing behavior of the diode. This characteristic is also observed from the typical on/off illumination switching behavior for the photodiodes in transient photo-current, photo-capacitance and photo-conductance measurements with the quick response to the illumination. The deviations from ideality are also discussed by means of distribution of interface states and series resistance depending on the applied frequency and bias voltage. •Electrical characteristics of Al/PCBM:ZnO/Si diode were investigated under the aim of photodiode application.•PCBM:ZnO hybrid layer was proposed as an alternative thin film layer in the use of lower cost optoelectronic devices.•PCBM:ZnO interlayer was deposited on p-Si using spin-coating technique.•Dark and illuminated current, transient photocurrent, photocapacitance and photo-conductance measurements were performed.•The deviations from ideality were discussed by means of distribution of interface states and series resistance.