Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures, especially nanowires, have been one of the most important semiconductive materials used for photocatalysis due to their unique material properties and remarkable performance. In this project, vertically-aligned ZnO nanowires on glass substrate have been synthesized by using the facile hydrothermal methods with the help of pre-coated ZnO seeding layer. The crystalline structure, morphology and UV-Vis transmission spectra of the as-synthesized sample were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and Ultra-violet Visible (UV-Vis) Spectrophotometer. The photocatalytic activity of the sample was examined for the photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange (MO) as the test dye in aqueous solution under UV-A irradiation. The extent of direct hydrolysis of the MO dye under UV light without the photocatalysts was first measured to eliminate the possible contribution from the undesired variables to the overall efficiency. The effects of pH and initial concentration of the MO solution, as well as the nanowire growth time, on the photocatalytic efficiency have been investigated, in order to determine the optimal conditions for photocatalytic applications of ZnO nanowires in the industry. Furthermore, the reproducibility of the experimental methods used in this project was tested to ensure the reliability of the experimental results obtained; and the reusability of the prepared ZnO nanowire arrays were also evaluated to investigate the stability of the products for photocatalytic applications in a large scale. In addition, a micro-chamber based microfluidic device with integrated ZnO nanowire arrays has been fabricated and used for photodegradation studies of MO solution under continuous-flow conditions. As expected, the micro-chamber based approach exhibited much improved photodegradation efficiency as compared to the conventional method using bulk dye solution. The effects of the flow rate and chamber height of the microfluidic device have also been investigated in order to determine the optimal experimental conditions for photodegradation reactions in microfluidic devices.

Organic semiconductors are very attractive for thin film Organic Photodetectors (OPDs) since they possess a number of desirable attributes for optical sensing including high absorption coefficients over visible and ultraviolet wavelengths and compatibility with large-area deposition processes such as ink-jet, screen printing, and solution processing. OPDs, in general, utilize a vertical device architecture where the photoactive organic semiconductor layers are sandwiched between top and bottom electrodes that provide electrical contact. More recently, an interest in utilizing a lateral device architecture instead of the vertical one, has emerged. In this architecture, the two contacts are positioned on the two sides of the photoactive material with respect to the direction of the incoming signal, separated by a small gap. However, the factors governing lateral OPDs’ photo-response are still not well understood. In this thesis, we fabricate top-contact lateral OPDs using a thermal evaporation only fabrication process. We study the factors governing both the dark and photo currents of lateral OPDs. The effect of the wide gap between the two electrodes on the current-voltage characteristics is discussed and the role of space charge limited conduction is investigated. The contributions in the photoresponse of light scattering through the active layers as well as the back reflection of light at the metallic contacts are emphasized. The reproducibility over repeated operation cycles of both dark and photo currents values is explored. Exposure to light of the lateral OPD is found to lead to a significant increase in the dark current. The role of the conductivity enhancement in the channel due to light-induced trap filling is investigated. External quantum efficiency and detectivity estimates are given for deep ultraviolet lateral (DUV) OPDs. A comparison with vertical DUV OPDs performances is provided. Finally, the use of a phosphorescent sensitizer doped in the absorbing bottom layer to improve top-contact lateral OPDs efficiency is discussed.

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures, especially nanowires, have been one of the most important semiconductive materials used for photocatalysis due to their unique material properties and remarkable performance. In this project, vertically-aligned ZnO nanowires on glass substrate have been synthesized by using the facile hydrothermal methods with the help of pre-coated ZnO seeding layer. The crystalline structure, morphology and UV-Vis transmission spectra of the as-synthesized sample were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and Ultra-violet Visible (UV-Vis) Spectrophotometer. The photocatalytic activity of the sample was examined for the photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange (MO) as the test dye in aqueous solution under UV-A irradiation. The extent of direct hydrolysis of the MO dye under UV light without the photocatalysts was first measured to eliminate the possible contribution from the undesired variables to the overall efficiency. The effects of pH and initial concentration of the MO solution, as well as the nanowire growth time, on the photocatalytic efficiency have been investigated, in order to determine the optimal conditions for photocatalytic applications of ZnO nanowires in the industry. Furthermore, the reproducibility of the experimental methods used in this project was tested to ensure the reliability of the experimental results obtained; and the reusability of the prepared ZnO nanowire arrays were also evaluated to investigate the stability of the products for photocatalytic applications in a large scale. In addition, a micro-chamber based microfluidic device with integrated ZnO nanowire arrays has been fabricated and used for photodegradation studies of MO solution under continuous-flow conditions. As expected, the micro-chamber based approach exhibited much improved photodegradation efficiency as compared to the conventional method using bulk dye solution. The effects of the flow rate and chamber height of the microfluidic device have also been investigated in order to determine the optimal experimental conditions for photodegradation reactions in microfluidic devices.

Organic semiconductors are very attractive for thin film Organic Photodetectors (OPDs) since they possess a number of desirable attributes for optical sensing including high absorption coefficients over visible and ultraviolet wavelengths and compatibility with large-area deposition processes such as ink-jet, screen printing, and solution processing. OPDs, in general, utilize a vertical device architecture where the photoactive organic semiconductor layers are sandwiched between top and bottom electrodes that provide electrical contact. More recently, an interest in utilizing a lateral device architecture instead of the vertical one, has emerged. In this architecture, the two contacts are positioned on the two sides of the photoactive material with respect to the direction of the incoming signal, separated by a small gap. However, the factors governing lateral OPDs’ photo-response are still not well understood. In this thesis, we fabricate top-contact lateral OPDs using a thermal evaporation only fabrication process. We study the factors governing both the dark and photo currents of lateral OPDs. The effect of the wide gap between the two electrodes on the current-voltage characteristics is discussed and the role of space charge limited conduction is investigated. The contributions in the photoresponse of light scattering through the active layers as well as the back reflection of light at the metallic contacts are emphasized. The reproducibility over repeated operation cycles of both dark and photo currents values is explored. Exposure to light of the lateral OPD is found to lead to a significant increase in the dark current. The role of the conductivity enhancement in the channel due to light-induced trap filling is investigated. External quantum efficiency and detectivity estimates are given for deep ultraviolet lateral (DUV) OPDs. A comparison with vertical DUV OPDs performances is provided. Finally, the use of a phosphorescent sensitizer doped in the absorbing bottom layer to improve top-contact lateral OPDs efficiency is discussed.

This thesis addresses nanostructure fabrication techniques based on electron beam lithography, which is the most widely employed nanofabrication techniques for R&D and for the prototyping or production of photo-mask or imprint mold. The focus is on the study of novel resist and development process, as well as pattern transfer procedure after lithography. Specifically, this thesis investigates the following topics that are related to either electron beam resists, their development, or pattern transfer process after electron beam lithography: (1) The dry thermal development (contrary to conventional solvent development) of negative electron beam resists polystyrene (PS) to achieve reasonably high contrast and resolution. (2) The solvent development for polycarbonate electron beam resist, which is more desirable than the usual hot aqueous solution of NaOH developer, to achieve a low contrast that is ideal for grayscale lithography. (3) The fabrication of metal nanostructure by electron beam lithography and dry liftoff (contrary to the conventional liftoff using a strong solvent or aqueous solution), to achieved down to ~50 nm resolution. (4) The study a novel electron beam resist poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (sodium PSS) that is water soluble and water developable, to fabricate the feature size down to ~ 40 nm. And finally, (5) The fabrication of gold nanostructure on a thin membrane, which will be used as an object for novel x-ray imaging, where we developed the fabrication process for silicon nitride membrane, electroplating of gold, and pattern transfer after electron beam lithography using single layer resist and tri-layer resist stack.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2006. / Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center; full text release delayed at author's request until 2007 Jun 16