A Single Polymer Nanowire Photodetector

Abstract

Solution-assisted template wetting has been successfully applied to a high-yield controlled synthesis of poly[9,9-dioctylfluorenyl-2,7-diyl)-co-[bithiophene)] nanowires. Photoconductivity measurements (see figure and cover) yield single-nanowire device responsivities of ca. 0.4 mA W–1 and external quantum efficiencies of ca. 0.1 % under monochromatic illumination, comparable with single-inorganic-nanowire devices. These results demonstrate the promise of these 1D polymer nanostructures as subwavelength photodetectors.