Single-crystalline ZnTe nanowires for application as high-performance Green/Ultraviolet photodetector

Single-crystalline ZnTe nanowires were prepared by a simple vapor transport and deposition method. Photodetectors of individual ZnTe nanowires were fabricated to study photoconductivity of the nanowires. It was observed the nanowire photodetectors show the highest visible-light photoconductive gains among all reported photodetectors based on 1D nanostructure semiconductors, including CdS, CdSe, ZnSe, etc. The high photosensitivity and relatively fast response speed are attributable to the high crystal quality of the ZnTe nanowires. These results reveal that such single-crystalline ZnTe nanowires are excellent candidates for optoelectronic applications. © 2011 Optical Society of America.