Carrier relaxation through two-electron process during photoconduction in highly UV sensitive quasi-one-dimensional ZnO nanowires

We have investigated the carrier relaxation process during photoconduction in quasi-one-dimensional (Q1D) ZnO nanowires (NWs) of diameters 29–36nm on different substrates using photocurrent transient measurements. Ultraviolet (UV) sensitive NWs show around three to four orders of change in the photo-to-dark current ratio. Under steady UV illumination, the photocarrier relaxation occurs through two-electron process—carrier loss due to the trapping by the surface states and recombination at the deep defect states. The results demonstrate that the carrier relaxation during photoconduction in Q1D NWs of diameter comparable to the Debye length is also dominated by the surface states.