Donor-Acceptor Compensated ZnO Semiconductor for Photoelectrochemical Biosensors

Hindering the recombination of a photogenerated carrier is a crucial method to enhance the photoelectrochemical performance of ZnO due to its high exciton binding energy. Herein, the intramolecular donor-acceptor compensated semiconductor ZnO (I-D/A ZnO), introducing C dopants and oxygen vacancies, was prepared with the assistance of ascorbic acid (AA). According to the DFT calculations, the asymmetry DOS could lead to the longer carrier lifetime and the smaller electron transfer resistance. Then, the photoelectrochemical biosensor toward glucose was regarded as a model to discuss the application of ZnO in biosensors. As a result, the biosensor based on I-D/A ZnO showed good performance with high sensitivity, low limit of detection, and fine anti-interference, meaning that I-D/A ZnO is a promising semiconductor for photoelectrochemical biosensors.