Aging Effect on the Optoelectronic Properties of a Single ZnO Nanowire

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

The effect of aging on the optoelectronic properties of a single ZnO nanowire is investigated in this study. The photoluminescence (PL), photocurrent spectrum, current–voltage characteristics, and photoresponse were measured for the as-grown ZnO nanowire and for the same nanowire exposed to air for three months. For the aged nanowire, the broad PL band is weaker, the intensity of the photocurrent is stronger, and the photoresponse is slower than those of the as-grown nanowire. One of the possible explanations is that the observed aging effect on the PL is due to the reduction in the number of oxygen vacancies within the nanowire and that the aging effect on the photocurrent and photoresponse originates from the formation of oxygen vacancies near the surface.