ZnO nanoparticles as a luminescent down-shifting layer for photosensitive devices

The optical properties of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) fabricated by three different methods were studied by the UV-excited continuous wave photoluminescence in order to estimate their down-shifting (DS) efficiency. Such a luminescent layer modifies the incident solar radiation via emitting wavelengths better matching the spectral response of the underlying photosensitive device (photodiode), thereby increasing its efficiency. Some of the studied ZnO NPs were subsequently deposited on the front side of commercial silicon photodiodes and the external quantum efficiency (EQE) characteristics of the final devices were measured. Through comparison of the photodiode's EQE characteristics before and after the deposition of the ZnO NPs layer, it was concluded that for the photodiode with a low UV sensitivity (about 8%), the ZnO luminescent layer produces a down-shifting effect and the EQE in the UV and blue range improves by 16.6%, while for the photodiodes with a higher initial UV sensitivity (about 50%), the EQE in this range decreases with the ZnO layer thickness, due to the effects competing with DS, like the diminution of the ZnO layer transmittance and an increasing diffusion.