Solution-processed transparent conducting Ag nanowires layer for photoelectric device applications

•Excellent transparent conducting layer was achieved by a solution process.•Spin-coating of AgNWs on a Si substrate spontaneously forms Schottky Junction.•AgNWs/Si device provided high photoresponses for broad wavelengths.•Energy band diagram was traced by Mott–Schottky analyses.•This simple and strong design tool is useful for various photoelectric devices.

Electrically conductive and optically transparent Ag nanowires (AgNWs) were spin-coated on a Si substrate for high-performing Schottky junction device. The AgNWs window layer significantly improved transmittance for broad wavelengths, comparing to that of the conventional indium-tin-oxide (ITO) film structure. This optical benefit spontaneously provides significantly improved photodetection for broad wavelengths. The junction properties were investigated using current–voltage and voltage–capacitance characteristics. The AgNWs/Si formed a built-in potential of 0.62 eV at the interface and this photodetector provided a considerably high rectification ratio with a low saturation current value. These intrinsic advantages simultaneously induced substantially enhanced signal to noise ratio different from the ITO/Si heterojunction device. This solution-processed architecture of a transparent conductor (TC) is also beneficial for non-vacuum designs. We demonstrated that AgNWs would be the competitive alternative for the conventional TC coating techniques. Electrical analyses and photoresponses were systematically investigated for AgNWs/Si Schottky device.

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