Chapter 8: Self-powered Devices

With the development of nanosized electronics and optoelectronics, a variety of low dimensional nanostructures have been introduced in designing miniature and multi-functional nanodevices, to meet the demands of low consumption and high performance. By utilising the unique properties of nanostructures, an advanced nanodevice has been designed: the self-powered nanodevice and nanosystem. In self-powered nanodevices and systems, nanodevices can be powered by the energy harvested from the environment with the same functional nanostructures, such as the photovoltaic effect junction, photoelectrochemical cell structure interface, nanogenerator surface, and so on. In the last ten years, self-powered nanodevices and nanosystems have become a hot topic, including self-powered photodetectors, self-powered biosensors, self-powered strain sensors and even a self-charging system. In this chapter, two typical ZnO-based self-powered nanodevices (a self-powered photodetector and a self-powered biosensor) are introduced and discussed.