Monitoring of UV-A radiation by TiO2/CdS nanohybrid along with the high on-off ratio
Alka Rani, Arpit Verma, Ajeet Singh, B. C. Yadav
Abstract
Exposure to UV-A light can have detrimental effects on human health, leading to skin damage and an increased risk of skin cancer. In this study, we employed a hydrothermal-assisted method to cultivate TiO 2 -decorated CdS nanorods for use in UV photodetectors . Our research culminated in the fabrication of an exceptionally responsive and rapid photodetector based on the TiO 2 /CdS nanohybrid . X-ray diffraction analysis revealed the hexagonal phase of CdS nanorods , predominantly oriented along the (002) plane, and the presence of the anatase phase of TiO 2 . Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) measurements confirmed the nanorod structure of TiO 2 /CdS. Optical properties of the TiO 2 /CdS nanohybrid were investigated through UV–visible absorbance analysis. Additionally, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) provided insights into the surface composition of the prepared nanohybrid , with peaks corresponding to Cd 3d 3/2 and Cd 3d 5/2 at binding energies of 411.47 eV and 404.73 eV, respectively, and confirming the presence of titanium through peaks of Ti 2p 3/2 and 2p 1/2 at binding energies of 458.31 eV and 463.8 eV, respectively. Raman analysis indicated the presence of the anatase phase of TiO 2 in the composite. Our device exhibited an impressive detectivity of 9.9 × 10 12 Jones, an EQE (external quantum efficiency) of 971.36%, and a high photoresponsivity of 2.86 A/W. These results suggest that TiO 2 /CdS nanohybrids, prepared using a cost-effective and straightforward method, hold promise for UV photodetection applications.