20 micros photocurrent response from lithographically patterned nanocrystalline cadmium selenide nanowires

Lithographically patterned nanowire electrodeposition (LPNE) provides a method for patterning nanowires composed of nanocrystalline cadmium selenide (nc-CdSe) over wafer-scale areas. We assess the properties of (nc-CdSe) nanowires for detecting light as photoconductors. Structural characterization of these nanowires by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy reveals they are composed of stoichiometric, single phase, cubic CdSe with a mean grain diameter of 10 nm. For nc-CdSe nanowires with lengths of many millimeters, the width and height dimensions could be varied over the range from 60 to 350 nm (w) and 20 to 80 nm (h). Optical absorption and photoluminescence spectra for nc-CdSe nanowires were both dominated by band-edge transitions. The photoconductivity properties of nc-CdSe nanowire arrays containing approximately 350 nanowires were evaluated by electrically isolating 5 microm nanowire lengths using evaporated gold electrodes. Photocurrents, i(photo), of 10-100 x (i(dark)) were observed with a spectral response characterized by an onset at 1.75 eV. i(photo) response and recovery times were virtually identical and in the range from 20 to 40 micros for 60 x 200 nm nanowires.