Titanium-dioxide nanotube p-n homojunction diode

Application of semiconductors in functional optoelectronic devices requires precise control over their doping and formation of junction between p- and n-doped semiconductors. While doped thin films have led to several semiconductor devices, need for high-surface area nanostructured devices for photovoltaic, photoelectrochemical, and photocatalytic applications has been hindered by lack of desired doping in nanostructures. Here, we show titanium-dioxide (TiO2) nanotubes doped with nitrogen (N) and niobium (Nb) as acceptors and donors, respectively, and formation of TiO2 nanotubes p-n homojunction. This TiO2:N/TiO2:Nb homojunction showed distinct diode-like behaviour with rectification ratio of 1115 at +/- 5V and exhibited good photoresponse for ultraviolet light (lambda = 365 nm) with sensitivity of 0.19 A/W at reverse bias of -5V. These results can have important implications for development of nanostructured metal-oxide solar-cells, photodiodes, LED's, photocatalysts, and photoelectrochemical devices. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.