ZnO nanoparticle surface acoustic wave UV sensor

The response to ultraviolet illumination of ZnO nanoparticles deposited on LiNbO3 substrate was investigated using surface acoustic waves (SAWs) in the wide range of UV wavelengths from 280 to 375 nm. Deposition of ZnO nanoparticles caused a SAW transmission loss of 27 dB at 64 MHz due to the acoustoelectric attenuation. Acoustoelectric change in the SAW velocity by 3.78x10(-4) under 375 nm illumination led to downshift in transmitted SAW phase by 5.5 degrees at UV power density of 691 mu W/cm(2). The spectral measurements show the peak response at 345 nm with corresponding sensitivity on the order of 2.8 ppm/(mu W/cm(2)). (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3447932]