Current-voltage characteristics of nano whisker ZnO/Si heterojunction under UV exposition

In/ZnO/p-Si heterojunction diode was produced to investigate the photo-responsivity and electrical features under ultraviolet (UV) light. A hydrothermal synthesis technique was used to coat the ZnO layer on the p-Si single crystal as nanowhisker/rods. The formation of surface and nanowhisker properties of the ZnO layer were investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The I-V (current-voltage) analysis of the In/ZnO/p-Si diode was realized in dark and under UV (290–400 nm) illumination. Further, the main electrical parameters of the diode; such as reverse bias saturation current (I-V), ideality factor (n), zero bias barrier height (ФBo), resistance (R) and interface state density (Nss) were obtained from the experimental I-V measurements by thermionic emission (TE) and Card and Rhoderick's function. Also, the power law of the photocurrents (IPC), photo-responsivity (PR) and response time were extracted. Photo-responsivity and response time values of In/ZnO/p-Si heterojunction diode were obtained as 2.0 A/W and (rise/decay) 160/200 ms, respectively. [Display omitted] •Hydrothermal synthesis route was used to prepare the ZnO on the p-Si single crystal as nanowhisker/rods.•Photo-responsivity and response time values were obtained as 2.0 A/W and (rise/decay) 160/200 ms, respectively.•A significant increase in photo-responsivity is obtained with the device.