ZnMgO Nanowire Based Detectors and Detector Arrays

In this SBIR Program, Structured Materials Industries, Inc. (SMI) and partners are developing ultraviolet (UV) photodetection devices with high sensitivity, low noise and fast response time. The technical approach is based on nanowires of the wide bandgap semiconductor ZnMgO. The resulting devices will be blind to solar radiation, and have a tunable cut-off frequency which can be adjusted by the Mg content. The resulting photodetection devices will also be low-cost, and compatible with a wide range of device materials, including silicon substrates and silicon integrated circuitry. During Phase I, the SBIR team demonstrated technical feasibility of a simple process for fabricating the photodetectors from vertically aligned arrays of nanowires. These Phase I achievements enable low cost production of nanowire based photodetection devices, using standard microelectronic techniques. The Phase I results will ultimately enable high volume production of nanowire devices, on large area substrates, and enable integration with other microelectronic circuitry.