Localized ultraviolet photoresponse in single bent ZnO micro/nanowires

The localized ultraviolet photoresponse in single bent ZnO micro/nanowires bridging two Ohmic contacts has been investigated. The ZnO micro/nanowire has a higher photoresponse sensitivity of about 190% at the bent region (bending strain: about 4%) than that at the straight region (about 50%). The rise and decay time constants are almost the same in the straight and bent regions of the ZnO micro/nanowire. A possible mechanism has been proposed and discussed. The bent ZnO micro/nanowires could be potentially useful for fabricating the coupled piezoelectric and optoelectronic nanodevices. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3495939]