Light-Tunable Polarity and Erasable Physisorption-Induced Memory Effect in Vertically Stacked InSe/SnS2 Self-Powered Photodetector

ACS Nano. 2022 Oct 25;16(10):17347-17355. doi: 10.1021/acsnano.2c08177. Epub 2022 Sep 26.

Abstract

van der Waals heterojunctions with tunable polarity are being actively explored for more Moore and more-than-Moore device applications, as they can greatly simplify circuit design. However, inadequate control over the multifunctional operational states is still a challenge in their development. Here, we show that a vertically stacked InSe/SnS2 van der Waals heterojunction exhibits type-II band alignment, and its polarity can be tuned by an external electric field and by the wavelength and intensity of an illuminated light source. Moreover, such SnS2/InSe diodes are self-powered broadband photodetectors with good performance. The self-powered performance can be further enhanced significantly with gas adsorption, and the device can be quickly restored to the state before gas injection using a gate voltage pulse. Our results suggest a way to achieve and design multiple functions in a single device with multifield coupling of light, electrical field, gas, or other external stimulants.

Keywords: memory effect; photovoltaic effect; polarity; p−n junction; self-powered photodetector; van der Waals heterostructures.