Polarization photosensitivity of Schottky barriers on monoclinic ZnAs$_2$ crystals

Pioneering experiments on creating Cu(In)/$p$-ZnAs$_2$ photosensitive Schottky barriers on monoclinic ZnAs$_2$ single crystals grown by directional crystallization from a near-stoichiometric melt are described. Photosensitivity spectra are taken from the structures in natural and linearly polarized radiations. The structures are found to be sensitive to polarization. From the photoactive absorption spectra of the monoclinic ZnAs$_2$, it follows that most minimal direct band-to-band transitions in these crystals are allowed in the $\mathbf{E}\parallel z$ axis polarization and can be used, specifically, in designing novel devices-polarization-controlled switches of spectral ranges of incident radiation photorecording.