Ultraviolet Photodetection Properties of ZnO Microtubes

Photodetectors based on wide-bandgap semiconductors have demonstrated several advantages over traditional ultraviolet (UV) detectors (photomultiplier tubes and Si-based UV detectors) such as low power consumption, high stability, and no need of other optical filters. ZnO stands a good chance of being a candidate material for solar-blind UV detection because of its direct bandgap of 3.37eV and high photoresponse. In this work, single crystal ZnO microtubes synthesized using a microwave-heating growth method and their UV photodetection properties were studied. The ZnO microtubes exhibited relatively fast UV photoresponse with a cut-off wavelength ∼370 nm, indicating their potential applications as high efficient and low cost UV detectors.