Surface plasmon resonance

Physics

Dielectric

Nanoparticle

Schottky barrier

Power (physics)

Nanotechnology

Responsivity

Pyroelectricity

Materials science

Power density

Photodetector

Specific detectivity

Optoelectronics

Quantum mechanics

Diode

Ferroelectricity

Nano Today

Ultralow power density UV sensing is crucial to application in military and civilian fields. However, it is still confronted with a low signal-to-noise ratio and long response/recovery time. Here, we report a self-powered photodetector based on the Schottky junction of Au [email protected] NWs, which can detect 325 nm light with the power density of 68 nW/cm2, by using pyro-phototronic effect enhanced by localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). Under the illumination of 325 nm with the power density of 68 nW/cm2, responsivity of photodetector dramatically enhances from 0 to 0.485 mA/W after decorating Au NPs, detectivity is boosted from 0 to 27.49 × 1010 Jones. The responsivity and detectivity of self-powered photodetector show significant enhancement of over 3290% and over 3298% under the illumination of 325 nm light with the power density of 170 nW/cm2. The fast recovery ensure detection can be finished within 12 ms. The coupled effect of pyroelectric effect and LSPR provides a guideline to design a high-performance photodetector using other nanomaterials.

Self-powered photodetector for ultralow power density UV sensing