Few-Layer Thin-Film Metallic Glass-Enhanced Optical Properties of ZnO Nanostructures

A few layers of Cu-based (Cu₄₇Zr₄₂Al₇Ti₄) thin-film metallic glasses (TFMGs) were sputtered on hydrothermally synthesized ZnO nanowires/glass and ZnO nanotubes/glass to fabricate UV photodetectors. The few layers of Cu-based TFMG are ultrathin at ∼0.98 nm and have a noncrystalline metal structure according to X-ray diffraction, Raman, photoluminescence, and high-temperature transmission electron microscopy verification. The photoresponse performance of the coated few-layers Cu-TFMG samples was enhanced 1680-7700% compared with the noncoated sample. The few-layers Cu-TFMG has high transmittance ∼90% in the visible band and creates a large capacitor to absorb UV photocurrent and release dark current.