Enhanced UV photoresponse of Au/Mn₃O₄/p-Si/Al Schottky photodiode via hydrothermally synthesized Mn₃O₄ ınterlayer
摘要
In this study, a Schottky-type Au/Mn₃O₄/p-Si/Al photodiode was successfully fabricated, where Mn₃O₄ was synthesized via a hydrothermal method and employed as an interfacial layer to enhance device performance. The structural, morphological, optical, and electrical properties of the Mn₃O₄ thin film and the fabricated photodiode were systematically investigated. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the formation of tetragonal Mn₃O₄ with preserved crystal structure after thin film deposition. SEM, AFM, and TEM analyses revealed a uniform nanostructured morphology with an average particle size of approximately 23 nm. Optical studies indicated a direct band gap of ~ 2.75 eV and strong absorption in the UV region, indicating its suitability for optoelectronic applications. Electrical characterization based on current–voltage (I–V) measurements demonstrated clear rectifying behavior of the device. The ideality factor increased from 1.65 (dark) to 3.07 under illumination, while the barrier height decreased from 0.79 eV to 0.68 eV with increasing light intensity. The series resistance was found to increase from 4.2 kΩ to 8.4 kΩ, as determined using the Norde function. The photodetector performance was evaluated in terms of responsivity, specific detectivity, and photosensitivity. The device exhibited a responsivity of ~ 0.81 A/W and a detectivity on the order of 101⁰ Jones under UV illumination. A superlinear photoresponse behavior (α ≈ 1.77) was observed, indicating efficient photocarrier generation and trap-filling effects. The device also demonstrated stable operation over 30 days and a fast photoresponse with rise and decay times of ~ 1.0 s and ~ 1.1 s, respectively. Overall, the results demonstrate that the incorporation of hydrothermally synthesized Mn₃O₄ as an interfacial layer significantly improves the electrical and optoelectronic performance of the photodiode. The proposed device shows strong potential for UV-sensitive and self-powered photodetector applications.