ZnO polymer composite based visible blind UV photo detector

Highlights: • The spherically shaped ZnO NPs with uniform size (∼40 nm) were synthesized. • Optical and the UV detection properties of polymer composites were measured. • ZnO-PVP sample has the potential as a material for visible blind photo detector. • Dielectric medium perturbs electron-phonon interaction and UV detection mechanism. - Abstract: Spherical ZnO nanoparticles with average diameter ∼50 nm are synthesized by hydrothermal method. Composites of the nanoparticles with different polymers have been prepared and UV detection properties are measured. The dielectric medium perturbs electron-phonon interaction as well as the optoelectronic properties. Moreover, the luminescence properties of the materials effected due to composite formation. In case of NP-polymer composite NPs are capped and there is negligible further adsorption and desorption of O₂ molecules occurred on the surface. This increases the photocurrent as well as photosensitivity. For ZnO based photo detector, there is a small but not negligible photo response near 620 nm. The photo response in this particular wavelength is not observed in case of ZnO-PVP composite and it can be used as visible blind UV detector.