Growth behavior and performance of inkjet printable zinc-oxide for optoelectronic devices

Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a widely-studied material with broad applications in optoelectronics and nanoscience. While much research exists detailing conventional vapor deposition techniques for synthesis of ZnO, there is a growing interest in solution-based synthesis techniques such as inkjet printing for next-generation additively manufactured electronic devices. In this study, we examine the effect of intense pulsed light (IPL) on inkjet-printable ZnO films made from either a nanoparticle ink or metal-organic salt solutions. The photoconductive responses of these films to UV illumination are evaluated. Additionally, we demonstrate a prototype cobalt-doped ZnO radiation detector. Under our IPL conditions, pre-synthesized ZnO nanoparticle films showed negligible changes in crystallinity or morphology, whereas precursor-derived films exhibited significant structural and crystallographic modifications. In particular, a zinc acetate ink did not convert to ZnO with IPL alone, but IPL treatment yielded a densely packed precursor film that, after thermal calcination, produced a ZnO layer with a strong photoconductive (I–V) response. Additionally, a printed ZnO:Co nanoparticle film was successfully employed as a photodetector for both UV and X-ray radiation.