Eco-friendly schottky photodetectors enabled by <i>Zingiber officinale</i> extract: broadband UV-Vis-NIR response and high EQE performance

Sustainable optoelectronics increasingly seek eco-friendly semiconductor materials, yet natural compounds for broadband photodetectors remain underexplored. This study investigates whether Zingiber officinale (ginger) extract can function as an effective interlayer in UV-Vis-NIR Schottky photodetectors. The extract was obtained via supercritical CO2 extraction, a solvent-free and energy-efficient method. Structural, optical, and morphological properties of the Z. officinale interlayer were characterized using XRD, UV-Vis, FTIR, SEM, and EDX, revealing a wide optical band gap of 2.78 eV. Devices incorporating the extract exhibited a high rectifying ratio (11288 at +/- 3 V) and strong broadband photoresponse from 351 to 1600 nm. Peak responsivity and external quantum efficiency were recorded in the visible range at zero bias (0.053 A/W, 14.5% EQE), with notable performance at 351 nm (15.9% EQE). While responsivity decreased in the near-infrared, measurable detection persisted up to 1600 nm. Low noise-equivalent power and high detectivity in the visible spectrum further confirmed efficient light detection. These results demonstrate that Z. officinale extract is a viable natural interlayer for sustainable, self-powered UV-Vis-NIR photodetectors.