A theoretical model for contact-mode TENGs was constructed in this paper. Based on the theoretical model, its real-time output characteristics and the relationship between the optimum resistance and TENG parameters were derived. The theory presented here is the first in-depth interpretation of the contact-mode TENG, which can serve as important guidance for rational design of the TENG structure in specific applications.

UV response of ZnO nanowire nanosensor has been studied under ambient condition. By utilizing Schottky contact instead of Ohmic contact in device fabrication, the UV sensitivity of the nanosensor has been improved by four orders of magnitude, and the reset time has been drastically reduced from ∼417 to ∼0.8 s. By further surface functionalization with function polymers, the reset time has been reduced to ∼20 ms even without correcting the electronic response of the measurement system. These results demonstrate an effective approach for building high response and fast reset UV detectors.