2D Ti₃C₂‑MXene Nanosheets/ZnO Nanorods for UV Photodetectors

ZnO nanomaterial-based UV photodetectors (UV PDs) have a long response time and poor responsiveness. The adjustable work function and high conductivity of 2D Ti₃C₂-MXene make it a suitable electrode material for optoelectronic devices. In this work, the MXene/ZnO nanorods Schottky junction hybrid was constructed via spin-coating of 2D Ti₃C₂-MXene nanosheets deposited on a 1D ZnO nanorods array, increasing the optical absorbance of the UV range. The MXene/ZnO nanorods PD at 368 nm and 5 V bias performs noticeably better with a high on/off ratio of 806, a responsivity of 142.2 mA W^–1, and a specific detectivity of 2.03 × 10¹⁰ jones, which are, respectively, increased by 14.4, 418, and 4194 times than a pure ZnO nanorods PD,. In particular, the rise time and fall times of the MXene/ZnO nanorods PD at 5 V bias are 12.2 s/3.9 s, which are 31 and 76% faster than those of the ZnO nanorods PD, respectively. Developing 2D MXene/ZnO nanorods PDs provides an alternative strategy to improve the response rate and photoelectrical properties of ZnO nanorods PDs over conventional alloy solutions.