Large area planar UV–Visible photodetectors using wide bandgap WO3−δ films

Abstract

A simple synthesis technique of semiconducting monoclinic phase tungsten oxide (WO3−δ) films is demonstrated. In this article, we report the effect of oxidation temperature on oxygen vacancy gradient of WO3 films and their photo sensing properties. The WO3−δ films were grown on Si/SiO2 substrates by argon ion-beam sputtering of a high purity W (tungsten) target followed by thermal oxidization in the tubular furnace at three different oxidation temperatures at 500, 600 and 700 °C with controlled oxygen gas pressure. Detailed crystal structure, microscopic and spectroscopic characterizations reveal that the oxidation at temperature 700 °C produces reasonably good crystalline quality of the film exhibiting UV–Visible photo sensing properties. The effect of oxidation temperature towards an enhancement in crystallinity which in turn gives rise to sharp Raman peak is discussed. The fabricated device exhibits a very low dark current of 7.5 × 10 −8 A at ±0.5 V bias for WO3−δ films oxidized at 700 °C. The photodetection measurements show linear current-voltage (I–V) behaviour with light-to-dark current (ILight/IDark) ratio ∼102 at 365 nm illumination (∼0.82 mW cm−2) at 2 V applied bias. The responsivity (Rλ), specific detectivity (D*) and external quantum efficiency (EQE) were found to be ∼0.12 AW−1, ∼2.1 × 1010 Jones (cm Hz1/2 W−1) and 40%, respectively, at 365 nm illumination (∼0.82 mW cm−2) with an applied bias of 2 V for the films oxidized at 700 °C. While upon visible light illuminations, the Rλ, D* and EQE were calculated to be ∼0.78 AW−1, ∼1.4 × 1011 Jones and 174%, respectively, upon 555 nm illumination (∼0.21 mW cm−2), with 2 V applied bias. A faster photocurrent relaxation time was observed from the films oxidized at 700 °C. The ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy study shows a surface band gap of 3.7 eV with absolutely no density of states in the near Fermi-level, validating fully stoichiometric surface. The effects of oxidation temperatures causing the large bandgap are discussed in terms of the device performances.