Tunneling-barrier-controlled sensitive deep ultraviolet photodetectors based on van der Waals heterostructures
Deep ultraviolet (DUV) photodetection usually relies on wide-bandgap semiconductors, which however face challenges in material growth and doping processes. In this work, we proposed and validated a photodetection scheme based on tunneling barrier modulation, achieving highly sensitive DUV photodetection. Using a two-dimensional van der Waals heterostructure, the device integrates MoS<sub>2</sub> as the transporting layer for its high carrier mobility and low dark current, few-layered graphene (FLG) as the photon absorption layer, and hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) as the dielectric barrier. The device exhibits an photoresponsivity of 4.4 × 10<sup>6 </sup>A·W<sup>-1</sup> and specific detectivity of 1.4 × 10<sup>17</sup> <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mi>cm</mml:mi> <mml:mo>⋅</mml:mo> <mml:msup><mml:mrow><mml:mi>H</mml:mi> <mml:mi>z</mml:mi></mml:mrow> <mml:mrow><mml:mo>-</mml:mo> <mml:mn>1</mml:mn> <mml:mo>/</mml:mo> <mml:mn>2</mml:mn></mml:mrow> </mml:msup> <mml:mo>⋅</mml:mo> <mml:msup><mml:mrow><mml:mi>W</mml:mi></mml:mrow> <mml:mrow><mml:mo>-</mml:mo> <mml:mn>1</mml:mn></mml:mrow> </mml:msup> </mml:math> for 250 nm DUV light, with a rejection ratio R<sub>250</sub>/R<sub>450</sub> exceeding 10<sup>6</sup> for visible light. Unlike conventional photodetectors, the cutoff wavelength is determined by the tunneling barrier rather than the material bandgap. Additionally, this photodetection scheme has been extended to a wide range of materials, utilizing different charge transporting layer (e.g., MoS<sub>2</sub>, ReS<sub>2</sub>), barrier layer (e.g., hBN, Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>), and photon absorption materials (e.g., FLG, PdSe<sub>2</sub>, Au, Pd), showcasing its broad adaptability and potential for extensive application. Furthermore, the device has been successfully employed as a power meter for weak UV radiation (0.1 μW·cm<sup>-2</sup>) and for measuring solar UV irradiance with results matching the meteorological agency's weather reports. Overall, this work introduces an effective approach for developing high-performance DUV photodetectors, highlighting significant potential for applications in the optoelectronic market.
Authors
- Hai Huang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6037-4544)
- Wu Shi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6458-4776)
- Jinhan Hu
- Xiaosheng Fang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3387-4532)
- Junhao Chu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1867-9296)
- Yu Zhuang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2717-1777)
- Ziqing Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8126-2728)
- Jianfeng Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7055-1308)
- Shiyou Chen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4039-8549)
- Yan Chen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5130-8545)
- Zhipeng Zhong (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-3903-7992)
- Xiangjian Meng (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4178-9362)
- Xiang Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3782-2636)
- Jingli Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6133-1212)
- Jianlu Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-3976-483X)
- Lei Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5711-1399)
- Jianlin Shi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8790-195X)
- Bangchi Huang
Institutions
- Fudan University (CN)
- Lanzhou Jiaotong University (CN)
- Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Nature Communications
- Published
- 2025-03-05
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56886-8
- Citations
- 36
- Primary Topic
- 2D Materials and Applications
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 18.64
Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China