Highly efficient tunable photodetector with a bipolar response in van der Waals heterojunctions

The heterojunction integration of two-dimensional(2D)materials via van der Waals(vdW)forces,unencumbered by lattice and processing constraints,constitutes an efficacious approach to enhance the overall optoelectronic performance of photodetectors,due to an assortment of distinctive light-matter interactions.Nonetheless,vdW heterojunction photodetectors based on transition metal dichalcogenides(TMDs)face an inevitable trade-off between low dark currents and high responsivity,curtailing the application potential of myriad novel optoelectronic components in sensing,spectral,and communication systems.In this study,we present the successful actualization of a highly sensitive,self-powered,and gate-tunable bipolar response photodetector.The mechanisms underlying photocurrent generation were scrutinized via bias-,power-,and position-dependent mapping photoresponse measurements,identifying the photovoltaic effect,which is attributable to the Schottky junction’s built-in electric field,as the predominant mechanism.The prototype Au-WS2-graphene photodetector exhibits a remarkable light on/off ratio of 1.2×10^(6),a specific detectivity of 6.12×10^(11)cm H^(z1/2)W^(-1)with 20μs response time at 638 nm.The wide gate-tunable responsivity provides an adjustability scope,ranging from 0.9 to 3.1 A W^(-1).Notably,the device demonstrates an exceptional linear photocurrent response,with a linear dynamic range(LDR)value approximating 130 dB,which significantly surpasses that of other photodetectors based on TMDs.