Broadband self-powered MoS/PdSe/WSe PSN heterojunction photodetector for high-performance optical imaging and communication.

Two-dimensional (2D) semi-metal transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have drawn significant attention for their distinctive physical properties. However, the inherent high dark current of these materials and the single structure of detectors hinder the further development of photodetectors with high performance. Here, we construct a PSN (p-type semiconductor/semi-metal/n-type semiconductor) architecture by sandwiching 2D semi-metal between two semiconductor layers. In this architecture, the top and bottom layers generate an internal built-in electric field, while the middle layer serves as an absorption layer for low-energy photons and facilitates the dissociation of photo-generated carriers. As a result, the heterojunction device demonstrates a wide spectrum optical response from visible to infrared light (405 nm to 1550 nm) without requiring an external voltage. Working in self-powered mode at room temperature, the device achieves a responsivity of 0.56 A/W, a detectivity of 5.63 × 10 Jones, and a rapid response speed of 190/74 µs. Additionally, the device shows potential for applications in fast optical communication and multi-wavelength optical imaging. This work presents a novel approach for developing a new type of broadband, self-powered, high-performance miniaturized semi-metal-based photodetector.