Enhanced opto-electronic properties of X-doped (X = Al, Ga, and In) CuO thin films for photodetector applications

Abstract

Recent trends in optoelectronics still need a highly efficient photodetector based on p-type metal oxide semiconductors. This work stands with the improvement in the performance of CuO thin films via doping with different metals into the thin films. The CuO thin films were successfully doped with 1 wt% of X (X = Al, Ga, and In) by spray pyrolysis method. The prepared doped CuO thin films were characterized to interpret the structural, morphological, and elemental characteristics using advanced techniques. These doped CuO thin films were subjected to study the photodetection ability by analyzing optoelectronic properties. The doping also tuned the optical and electrical properties. Among the fabricated photodetectors, the Al-doped CuO detector shows a maximum photocurrent. The CuO:Al (1.0%) thin film exhibits a high photocurrent of 2.59 × 10−6 A, the responsivity of 2.82 × 10− 1 AW− 1, the external quantum efficiency of 66%, and the detectivity of 1.45 × 1010 Jones. Compared to the other thin films, Al doping has remarkably reduced the bandgap and shows a good photosensing activity that may be due to an increase in charge carriers. These outcomes provide a way to assemble good photodetectors and tune their properties in a wide range.