Van der Waals heterojunctions of 2D organic–inorganic materials for high-performance photodetectors

Abstract Two-dimensional (2D) organic–inorganic van der Waals heterojunctions (vdWHs) represent an emerging class of materials that could combine the characteristic structures and outstanding properties of both 2D materials and organic–inorganic components within a single composite, providing an ideal platform for broader, superior, and on-demand functional applications. Particularly, the use of 2D organic–inorganic vdWHs with different photosensitive materials and photonic structures plays a critical role in optimizing the photodetection and modulation efficiency, opening new avenues for designing and developing advanced optoelectronic devices. In recent years, great progress has been made in photodetectors based on the 2D organic–inorganic vdWHs, and this review aims to offer a timely overview of this evolving field. First, a survey of 2D inorganic and organic materials that prototypically are used for the fabrication of vdWHs, and then the fabrication approaches toward advanced 2D organic–inorganic vdWHs are highlighted. Following this, 2D organic–inorganic vdWH-based photodetectors and their potential applications are described. Finally, the frontier challenges and perspectives associated with the 2D organic–inorganic vdWHs are presented, in the hope of providing guidance for future research.