High performance photodetector based on few-layer MoTe₂/CdS_0.42Se_0.58 flake heterojunction

Abstract

Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides have been extensively studied due to their fascinating physical properties for constructing high-performance photodetectors. However, their relatively low responsivities, current on/off ratios and response speeds have hindered their widespread application. Herein, we fabricated a high-performance photodetector based on few-layer MoTe₂ and CdS_0.42Se_0.58 flake heterojunctions. The photodetector exhibited a high responsivity of 7221 A/W, a large current on/off ratio of 1.73×10⁴, a fast response speed of 90/120 μs, external quantum efficiency (EQE) reaching up to 1.52×10⁶ % and detectivity (D^*) reaching up to 1.67×10¹⁵ Jones. The excellent performance of the heterojunction photodetector was analyzed by a photocurrent mapping test and first-principle calculations. Notably, the visible light imaging function was successfully attained on the MoTe₂/CdS_0.42Se_0.58 photodetectors, indicating that the device had practical imaging application prospects. Our findings provide a reference for the design of ultrahigh-performance MoTe₂-based photodetectors.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

photodetector / MoTe₂ / heterojunction / visible light imaging / first-principles calculations

References

[1] K. S. Novoselov, A. K. Geim, S. V. Morozov, D. Jiang, Y. Zhang, S. V. Dubonos, I. V. Grigorieva, A. A. Firsov. Electric field effect in atomically thin carbon films. Science, 2004, 306(5696): 666

[2] J. Yao, Z. Zheng, G. Yang. All-layered 2D optoelectronics: A high-performance UV-Vis-NIR broadband SnSe photodetector with Bi₂Te₃ topological insulator electrodes. Adv. Funct. Mater., 2017, 27(33): 1701823

[3] A. Castellanos-Gomez, M. Poot, G. A. Steele, H. S. J. van der Zant, N. Agraït, G. Rubio-Bollinger. Elastic properties of freely suspended MoS₂ nanosheets. Adv. Mater., 2012, 24(6): 772

[4] J. Yao, G. Yang. Flexible and high-performance all-2D photodetector for wearable devices. Small, 2018, 14(21): 1704524

[5] W. Wu, L. Wang, Y. Li, F. Zhang, L. Lin, S. Niu, D. Chenet, X. Zhang, Y. Hao, T. F. Heinz, J. Hone, Z. L. Wang. Piezoelectricity of single-atomic-layer MoS₂ for energy conversion and piezotronics. Nature, 2014, 514(7523): 470

[6] S. Mouri, Y. Miyauchi, K. Matsuda. Tunable photoluminescence of monolayer MoS₂ via chemical doping. Nano Lett., 2013, 13(12): 5944

[7] C. J. HeardJ. Čejka, M. Opanasenko, P. Nachtigall, G. Centi , S. Perathoner., 2D oxide nanomaterials to address the energy transition and catalysis, Adv. Mater. 31(3), 1801712 (2019)

[8] L. Tang, X. Meng, D. Deng, X. Bao. Confinement catalysis with 2D materials for energy conversion. Adv. Mater., 2019, 31(50): 1901996

[9] F. R. Fan, R. Wang, H. Zhang, W. Wu. Emerging beyond-graphene elemental 2D materials for energy and catalysis applications. Chem. Soc. Rev., 2021, 50(19): 10983

[10] L. X. Chen, Z. W. Chen, M. Jiang, Z. Lu, C. Gao, G. Cai, C. V. Singh. Insights on the dual role of two-dimensional materials as catalysts and supports for energy and environmental catalysis. J. Mater. Chem. A, 2021, 9(4): 2018

[11] P. Tao, S. Yao, F. Liu, B. Wang, F. Huang, M. Wang. Recent advances in exfoliation techniques of layered and non-layered materials for energy conversion and storage. J. Mater. Chem. A, 2019, 7(41): 23512

[12] Y. Tian, Y. Chen, Y. Liu, H. Li, Z. Dai. Elemental two‐dimensional materials for Li/Na‐ion battery anode applications. Chem. Rec., 2022, 22(10): e202200123

[13] B. Li, H. Xu, Y. Ma, S. Yang. Harnessing the unique properties of 2D materials for advanced lithium–sulfur batteries. Nanoscale Horiz., 2019, 4(1): 77

[14] N. Deng, Y. Feng, G. Wang, X. Wang, L. Wang, Q. Li, L. Zhang, W. Kang, B. Cheng, Y. Liu. Rational structure designs of 2D materials and their applications toward advanced lithium−sulfur battery and lithium−selenium battery. Chem. Eng. J., 2020, 401(20): 125976

[15] G. Gao, F. Zheng, F. Pan, L. W. Wang. Theoretical investigation of 2D conductive microporous coordination polymers as Li–S battery cathode with ultrahigh energy density. Adv. Energy Mater., 2018, 8(25): 1801823

[16] R. Rojaee, R. Shahbazian-Yassar. Two-dimensional materials to address the lithium battery challenges. ACS Nano, 2020, 14(3): 2628

[17] A. Dodda, D. Jayachandran, A. Pannone, N. Trainor, S. P. Stepanoff, M. A. Steves, S. S. Radhakrishnan, S. Bachu, C. W. Ordonez, J. R. Shallenberger, J. M. Redwing, K. L. Knappenberger, D. E. Wolfe, S. Das. Active pixel sensor matrix based on monolayer MoS₂ phototransistor array. Nat. Mater., 2022, 21(12): 1379

[18] U. Khan, Y. Luo, L. Tang, C. Teng, J. Liu, B. Liu, H. M. Cheng. Controlled vapor–solid deposition of millimeter-size single crystal 2D Bi₂O₂Se for high‐performance phototransistors. Adv. Funct. Mater., 2019, 29(14): 1807979

[19] S. G. Kim, S. H. Kim, J. Park, G. S. Kim, J. H. Park, K. C. Saraswat, J. Kim, H. Y. Yu. Infrared detectable MoS₂ phototransistor and its application to artificial multilevel optic-neural synapse. ACS Nano, 2019, 13(9): 10294

[20] S. Namgung, J. Shaver, S. H. Oh, S. J. Koester. Multimodal photodiode and phototransistor device based on two-dimensional materials. ACS Nano, 2016, 10(11): 10500

[21] Y. Cai, J. Yang, F. Wang, S. Li, Y. Wang, X. Zhan, F. Wang, R. Cheng, Z. Wang, J. He. Ultrasensitive solar-blind ultraviolet detection and optoelectronic neuromorphic computing using α-In₂Se₃ phototransistors. Front. Phys., 2023, 18(3): 33308

[22] Z. Q. Li, T. T. Yan, X. S. Fang. Low-dimensional wide-bandgap semiconductors for UV photodetectors. Nat. Rev. Mater., 2023, 8(9): 587

[23] H. Zeng, Y. Wen, L. Yin, R. Cheng, H. Wang, C. Liu, J. He. Recent developments in CVD growth and applications of 2D transition metal dichalcogenides. Front. Phys., 2023, 18(5): 53603

[24] G. Zhang, Y. Shu, J. Yao, Q. Shu, H. Deng, G. Jia, Z. Wang. Characteristics and developments of quantum-dot infrared photodetectors. Front. Phys. China, 2006, 1(3): 334

[25] K. He, J. Zhu, Z. Li, Z. Chen, H. Zhang, C. Liu, X. Zhang, S. Wang, P. Zhao, Y. Zhou, S. Zhang, Y. Yin, X. Zheng, W. Huang, L. Wang. High-sensitive two-dimensional PbI₂ photodetector with ultrashort channel. Front. Phys., 2023, 18(6): 63305

[26] C. H. An, F. Nie, R. Zhang, X. Ma, D. Wu, Y. Sun, X. Hu, D. Sun, L. Pan, J. Liu. Two‐dimensional material‐enhanced flexible and self‐healable photodetector for large‐area photodetection. Adv. Funct. Mater., 2021, 31(22): 2100136

[27] R. Maiti, C. Patil, M. A. S. R. Saadi, T. Xie, J. G. Azadani, B. Uluutku, R. Amin, A. F. Briggs, M. Miscuglio, D. Van Thourhout, S. D. Solares, T. Low, R. Agarwal, S. R. Bank, V. J. Sorger. Strain-engineered high-responsivity MoTe₂ photodetector for silicon photonic integrated circuits. Nat. Photonics, 2020, 14(9): 578

[28] T. Octon, V. Nagareddy, S. Russo, M. F. Craciun, C. D. Wright. Fast high-responsivity few-layer MoTe₂ photodetectors. Adv. Opt. Mater., 2016, 4(11): 1750

[29] L. Yin, X. Zhan, K. Xu, F. Wang, Z. Wang, Y. Huang, Q. Wang, C. Jiang, J. He. Ultrahigh sensitive MoTe₂ phototransistors driven by carrier tunneling. Appl. Phys. Lett., 2016, 108(4): 043503

[30] H. Huang, J. Wang, W. Hu, L. Liao, P. Wang, X. Wang, F. Gong, Y. Chen, G. Wu, W. Luo, H. Shen, T. Lin, J. Sun, X. Meng, X. Chen, J. Chu. Highly sensitive visible to infrared MoTe₂ photodetectors enhanced by the photogating effect. Nanotechnology, 2016, 27(44): 445201

[31] Y. Chen, X. Wang, G. Wu, Z. Wang, H. Fang, T. Lin, S. Sun, H. Shen, W. Hu, J. Wang, J. Sun, X. Meng, J. Chu. High‐performance photovoltaic detector based on MoTe₂/MoS₂ van der Waals heterostructure. Small, 2018, 14(9): 1703293

[32] M. Y. Lu, Y. T. Chang, H. J. Chen. Efficient self-driven photodetectors featuring a mixed-dimensional van der Waals heterojunction formed from a CdS nanowire and a MoTe₂ flake. Small, 2018, 14(40): 1802302

[33] J.ChenY. ShanQ.WangJ.ZhuR.Liu, P-type laser-doped WSe₂/MoTe₂ van der Waals heterostructure photodetector, Nanotechnology 31(29), 295201 (2020)

[34] Z. Lu, Y. Xu, Y. Yu, K. Xu, J. Mao, G. Xu, Y. Ma, D. Wu, J. Jie. Ultrahigh speed and broadband few‐layer MoTe₂/Si 2D–3D heterojunction‐based photodiodes fabricated by pulsed laser deposition. Adv. Funct. Mater., 2020, 30(9): 1907951

[35] R. O. Loutfy, D. S. Ng. Electrodeposited polycrystalline thin films of cadmium chalcogenides for backwall photoelectrochemical cells. Solar Energy Mater., 1984, 11(4): 319

[36] S. Smidstrup, D. Stradi, J. Wellendorff, P. A. Khomyakov, U. G. Vej-Hansen, M. E. Lee, T. Ghosh, E. Jónsson, H. Jónsson, K. Stokbro. First-principles green’s-function method for surface calculations: A pseudopotential localized basis set approach. Phys. Rev. B, 2017, 96(19): 195309

[37] S. Grimme. Semiempirical GGA-type density functional constructed with a long-range dispersion correction. J. Comput. Chem., 2006, 27(15): 1787

[38] M. A. Hossain, J. R. Jennings, N. Mathews, Q. Wang. Band engineered ternary solid solution CdS_xSe_1−x sensitized mesoscopic TiO₂ solar cells. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2012, 14(19): 7154

[39] S. Yang, S. Tongay, Y. Li, Q. Yue, J. B. Xia, S. S. Li, J. Li, S. H. Wei. Layer-dependent electrical and optoelectronic responses of ReSe₂ nanosheet transistors. Nanoscale, 2014, 6(13): 7226

[40] G. Chen, Z. Liu, B. Liang, G. Yu, Z. Xie, H. Huang, B. Liu, X. Wang, D. Chen, M. Q. Zhu, G. Shen. Single-crystalline p-type Zn₃As₂ nanowires for field-effect transistors and visible-light photodetectors on rigid and flexible substrates. Adv. Funct. Mater., 2013, 23(21): 2681

[41] Y. H. Chen, L. X. Su, M. M. Jiang, X. S. Fang. Switch type PANI/ZnO core-shell microwire heterojunction for UV photodetection. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2022, 105: 259

[42] S.Y. LiY. ZhangW.YangH.LiuX.Fang, 2D Perovskite Sr₂Nb₃O₁₀ for High‐Performance UV Photodetectors, Adv. Mater. 32(7), 1905443 (2020)

[43] Y. Zhang, J. Yao, Z. Zhang, R. Zhang, L. Li, Y. Teng, Z. J. Shen, L. X. Kang, L. M. Wu, X. S. Fang. Two-dimensional perovskite Pb₂Nb₃O₁₀ photodetectors. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2023, 164: 95

[44] B. X. Liu, Y. Sun, Y. Wu, K. Liu, H. Ye, F. Li, L. Zhang, Y. Jiang, R. Wang. Enhanced photoresponse of TiO₂/MoS₂ heterostructure phototransistors by the coupling of interface charge transfer and photogating. Nano Res., 2021, 14(4): 982

[45] J. Yan, X. Yang, X. Liu, C. Du, F. Qin, M. Yang, Z. Zheng, J. Li. Van der Waals heterostructures with built‐in Mie resonances for polarization‐sensitive photodetection. Adv. Sci., 2023, 10(9): 2207022

[46] J. Lai, X. Liu, J. Ma, Q. Wang, K. Zhang, X. Ren, Y. Liu, Q. Gu, X. Zhuo, W. Lu, Y. Wu, Y. Li, J. Feng, S. Zhou, J. H. Chen, D. Sun. Anisotropic broadband photoresponse of layered type-II Weyl semimetal MoTe₂. Adv. Mater., 2018, 30(22): 1707152

[47] P. Chen, L. Pi, Z. Li, H. Wang, X. Xu, D. Li, X. Zhou, T. Zhai. GeSe/MoTe₂ vdW heterostructure for UV-VIS-NIR photodetector with fast response. Appl. Phys. Lett., 2022, 121(2): 021103

[48] J. W. Park, Y. S. Jung, S. H. Park, H. J. Choi, Y. S. Cho. High‐performance photoresponse in ferroelectric d1T‐MoTe₂‐based vertical photodetectors. Adv. Opt. Mater., 2022, 10(21): 2200898

[49] P. Guo, J. Xu, K. Gong, X. Shen, Y. Lu, Y. Qiu, J. Xu, Z. Zou, C. Wang, H. Yan, Y. Luo, A. Pan, H. Zhang, J. C. Ho, K. M. Yu. On-nanowire axial heterojunction design for high-performance photodetectors. ACS Nano, 2016, 10(9): 8474

[50] W. Chen, R. Liang, S. Zhang, Y. Liu, W. Cheng, C. Sun, J. Xu. Ultrahigh sensitive near-infrared photodetectors based on MoTe₂/germanium heterostructure. Nano Res., 2020, 13(1): 127

[51] J. Xia, Y. X. Zhao, L. Wang, X. Z. Li, Y. Y. Gu, H. Q. Cheng, X. M. Meng. Van der Waals epitaxial two-dimensional CdS_xSe_1−x semiconductor alloys with tunable-composition and application to flexible optoelectronics. Nanoscale, 2017, 9(36): 13786

Declarations

The authors declare that they have no competing interests and there are no conflicts.

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 11864046 and 11764046), the Basic Research Program of Yunnan Province (Nos. 202001AT070064 and 202101AT070124), the Spring City Plan (High-level Talent Promotion and Training Project of Kunming) (No. 2022SCP005), and Yunnan Expert Workstation (No. 202205AF150008).

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

2024 Higher Education Press