Nanocrystalline SiC metal-semiconductor-metal photodetector with ZnO nanorod arrays for high-temperature applications

This work demonstrates a method to develop high temperature metal-semiconductor-metal photodetectors using low-temperature, ion beam assisted deposition of nanocrystalline silicon carbide (SiC) and hydrothermal synthesis of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorod arrays. Due to incorporation of ZnO nanorod arrays, the photo-to-dark current ratio of Au/nanocrystalline SiC is increased from 4.9 to 13.3 at 25°C and from 4.85 to 7.57 at 200°C. The results, suggest that the ZnO nanorod arrays could serve as an antireflection layers to guide more light into the SiC photodetectors. These preliminary results support the integration of nanocrystalline SiC and ZnO nanorod arrays for use in high temperature photo-detection applications.