Photocurrent application of Cd-doped ZnTe nanowires grown in a large scale by a CVD method

• Undoped and Cd-doped ZnTe nanowires were grown by a simple CVD method.
• Undoped and Cd-doped ZnTe nanowires were grown in a large scale.
• Undoped and Cd-doped ZnTe nanowires were used as photocurrent devices.

Photocurrent applications of undoped and Cd-doped ZnTe nanowires, which were grown by tellurization of zinc sheets in a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) set-up, were investigated. The zinc sheets were placed in three temperature zones in a tube furnace. Field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) images showed that, temperature, tellurium, and cadmium concentration are three important factors to obtain different morphologies. The phase and composition of the product were identified by X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern and X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS). Photoluminescence (PL) studies of these nanowires produced a strong photoluminescence (PL) emission peak in the green region and a weak peak in the red region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Finally, the ZnTe nanowires were used as photocurrent by a green light source. The photocurrent studies of the samples showed that, the Cd-doped ZnTe nanowires are better detector in comparison to the undoped ZnTe nanowires in the green region of the electromagnetic spectrum.