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Optical properties and carrier dynamics in Co-doped ZnO nanorods
Aswathi K Sivan1, Alejandro Galán-González2,3, Lorenzo Di Mario4
1Istituto per la Microelettronica e i Microsistemi (IMM), CNR I-00133 Rome Italy aswathi.sivan@artov.imm.cnr.it faustino.martelli@cnr.it.
Nanoscale Advances
|September 22, 2022
Summary
Cobalt doping of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods enhances their light absorption and efficiency. This controlled modification of electronic properties via cobalt doping offers potential for advanced applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Solid State Physics
Background:
- Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures are promising for optoelectronic applications.
- Tuning the electronic and optical properties of ZnO is crucial for device performance.
- Transition metal doping is a key strategy for modifying semiconductor properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of cobalt (Co) doping on the electronic and optoelectronic properties of ZnO nanorods.
- To understand the role of surface defects in Co-doped ZnO nanorods.
- To assess the potential of Co-doped ZnO nanorods for enhanced light absorption and efficiency.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of ZnO nanorods with varying cobalt content (0-20 atomic%) using chemical bath growth.
- Characterization of optoelectronic behavior using cathodoluminescence, time-resolved luminescence, and transient absorbance spectroscopy.
- Measurement of incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency (IPCE).
Main Results:
- Cobalt doping extends light absorption into the visible spectrum.
- Co-doping increases surface defects and shortens non-radiative lifetimes, while radiative lifetimes remain constant.
- A 1 atomic% Co doping concentration significantly enhances the IPCE of ZnO nanorods.
Conclusions:
- Surface defects play a critical role in determining the electronic behavior of Co-doped ZnO nanorods.
- Cobalt doping provides a controllable method to tune the functional electronic properties of ZnO nanorods.
- These findings highlight the potential of Co-doped ZnO nanorods for advanced optoelectronic applications.
