Three-terminal nonvolatile memory photodetectors based on rationally engineered heterostructured tin zinc oxide nanowires

One-dimensional wide band-gap metal oxide semiconductors demonstrate enormous potential in high-performance ultraviolet photodetectors. Here, via tuned zinc oxide (ZnO) concentration ratio and heterojunction structure as well as decent V TH value, we electrospun tin zinc oxide (SnZnO X ) nanowires for photoelectronic conversion function. The constructed optimized photodetectors based on Sn 8 Zn 2 O X nanowires can exhibit a remarkable detectivity of 1.77 × 10 16 Jones, excellent responsivity of 2.23 × 10 3 A/W and relative high sensitivity over 10 4 . In addition to the excellent photodetection performance, Sn 8 Zn 2 O X nanowire devices exhibit nonvolatile memory effect , which can maintain the light-induced low resistance state at 5 V without light. Moreover, a voltage of 30 V was applied to Sn 8 Zn 2 O X nanowires devices to realize light-writing state switching to bias-erasing state, and the device could come back to their initial high resistance state. These results indicate SnZnO X nanowires devices possess a tremendous potential in the circuit design of the artificial visual system.