Photoresponsivity of an all-semimetal heterostructure based on graphene and WTe.

Heterostructures based on two-dimensional (2D) materials have sparked wide interests in both fundamental physics and applied devices. Recently, Dirac/Weyl semimetals are emerging as capable functional materials for optoelectronic devices. However, thus far the interfacial coupling of an all-semimetal 2D heterostructure has not been investigated, and its effects on optoelectronic properties remain less well understood. Here, a heterostructure comprising of all semi-metallic constituents, namely graphene and WTe, is fabricated. Standard photocurrent measurements on a graphene/WTe phototransistor reveal a pronounced photocurrent enhancement (a photoresponsivity ~8.7 A/W under 650 nm laser illumination). Transport and photocurrent mapping suggest that both photovoltaic and photothermoelectric effects contribute to the enhanced photoresponse of the hybrid system. Our results help to enrich the understanding of new and emerging device concepts based on 2D layered materials.