Sub-pA dark current infrared photodetection enabled by polarized water-intercalated heterojunctions
Abstract Barrier detectors such as nBn and pBp architectures (formed by a n- or p-type contact layer, a barrier layer and a n- or p-type absorber) aim to block one carrier type while allowing the other to pass, but require complex hetero-integration and precise band engineering. Here, we propose an...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59211-5 |
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| author | Chang Liu Lin Tang Yawei Lv Long Chen Yilu Qin Sen Zhang Shihao Zhao Shuimei Ding Xin Zhang Pan Xu Chao Ma Xingqiang Liu Fang Wang Peng Wang Xudong Wang Yuan Liu En-Ge Wang Lei Liao Xuming Zou |
| author_facet | Chang Liu Lin Tang Yawei Lv Long Chen Yilu Qin Sen Zhang Shihao Zhao Shuimei Ding Xin Zhang Pan Xu Chao Ma Xingqiang Liu Fang Wang Peng Wang Xudong Wang Yuan Liu En-Ge Wang Lei Liao Xuming Zou |
| author_sort | Chang Liu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Barrier detectors such as nBn and pBp architectures (formed by a n- or p-type contact layer, a barrier layer and a n- or p-type absorber) aim to block one carrier type while allowing the other to pass, but require complex hetero-integration and precise band engineering. Here, we propose an ultra-thin polar barrier strategy using a 0.75 nm water-intercalated WSe2/H2O/PdSe2 heterostructure. The confined water layer forms a clean, well-ordered interface and further generates a precisely oriented polarization field that depletes electrons in WSe2, significantly suppressing dark current to sub-pA levels across all biases, while enabling efficient tunneling of photogenerated holes. The device shows broadband photoresponse from the ultraviolet to mid-wave infrared (MWIR), with a room-temperature average detectivity exceeding 10¹⁰ cm Hz¹/² W⁻¹ in the MWIR. It also features ultrafast response (~3 μs), polarization light sensitivity, and two-year stability. Our work establishes a platform for high-performance infrared photodetection via van der Waals gap engineering. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e8893df149244a96817b0515e1318a2a |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-e8893df149244a96817b0515e1318a2a2025-08-20T03:15:12ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-04-0116111110.1038/s41467-025-59211-5Sub-pA dark current infrared photodetection enabled by polarized water-intercalated heterojunctionsChang Liu0Lin Tang1Yawei Lv2Long Chen3Yilu Qin4Sen Zhang5Shihao Zhao6Shuimei Ding7Xin Zhang8Pan Xu9Chao Ma10Xingqiang Liu11Fang Wang12Peng Wang13Xudong Wang14Yuan Liu15En-Ge Wang16Lei Liao17Xuming Zou18Key Laboratory for Micro/Nano Optoelectronic Devices of Ministry of Education & Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Low-Dimensional Structural Physics and Devices, School of Physics and Electronics, Hunan UniversityKey Laboratory for Micro/Nano Optoelectronic Devices of Ministry of Education & Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Low-Dimensional Structural Physics and Devices, School of Physics and Electronics, Hunan UniversityKey Laboratory for Micro/Nano Optoelectronic Devices of Ministry of Education & Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Low-Dimensional Structural Physics and Devices, School of Physics and Electronics, Hunan UniversityKey Laboratory for Micro/Nano Optoelectronic Devices of Ministry of Education & Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Low-Dimensional Structural Physics and Devices, School of Physics and Electronics, Hunan UniversityState Key Laboratory of Infrared Physics, Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics, Chinese Academy of SciencesKey Laboratory for Micro/Nano Optoelectronic Devices of Ministry of Education & Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Low-Dimensional Structural Physics and Devices, School of Physics and Electronics, Hunan UniversityKey Laboratory for Micro/Nano Optoelectronic Devices of Ministry of Education & Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Low-Dimensional Structural Physics and Devices, School of Physics and Electronics, Hunan UniversityKey Laboratory for Micro/Nano Optoelectronic Devices of Ministry of Education & Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Low-Dimensional Structural Physics and Devices, School of Physics and Electronics, Hunan UniversityKey Laboratory for Micro/Nano Optoelectronic Devices of Ministry of Education & Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Low-Dimensional Structural Physics and Devices, School of Physics and Electronics, Hunan UniversityKey Laboratory for Micro/Nano Optoelectronic Devices of Ministry of Education & Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Low-Dimensional Structural Physics and Devices, School of Physics and Electronics, Hunan UniversityKey Laboratory for Micro/Nano Optoelectronic Devices of Ministry of Education & Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Low-Dimensional Structural Physics and Devices, School of Physics and Electronics, Hunan UniversityState Key Laboratory for Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Semiconductors (College of Integrated Circuits), Hunan UniversityState Key Laboratory of Infrared Physics, Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics, Chinese Academy of SciencesState Key Laboratory of Infrared Physics, Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics, Chinese Academy of SciencesState Key Laboratory of Infrared Physics, Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics, Chinese Academy of SciencesKey Laboratory for Micro/Nano Optoelectronic Devices of Ministry of Education & Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Low-Dimensional Structural Physics and Devices, School of Physics and Electronics, Hunan UniversityInternational Center for Quantum Materials, School of Physics, Peking UniversityState Key Laboratory for Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Semiconductors (College of Integrated Circuits), Hunan UniversityKey Laboratory for Micro/Nano Optoelectronic Devices of Ministry of Education & Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Low-Dimensional Structural Physics and Devices, School of Physics and Electronics, Hunan UniversityAbstract Barrier detectors such as nBn and pBp architectures (formed by a n- or p-type contact layer, a barrier layer and a n- or p-type absorber) aim to block one carrier type while allowing the other to pass, but require complex hetero-integration and precise band engineering. Here, we propose an ultra-thin polar barrier strategy using a 0.75 nm water-intercalated WSe2/H2O/PdSe2 heterostructure. The confined water layer forms a clean, well-ordered interface and further generates a precisely oriented polarization field that depletes electrons in WSe2, significantly suppressing dark current to sub-pA levels across all biases, while enabling efficient tunneling of photogenerated holes. The device shows broadband photoresponse from the ultraviolet to mid-wave infrared (MWIR), with a room-temperature average detectivity exceeding 10¹⁰ cm Hz¹/² W⁻¹ in the MWIR. It also features ultrafast response (~3 μs), polarization light sensitivity, and two-year stability. Our work establishes a platform for high-performance infrared photodetection via van der Waals gap engineering.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59211-5 |
| spellingShingle | Chang Liu Lin Tang Yawei Lv Long Chen Yilu Qin Sen Zhang Shihao Zhao Shuimei Ding Xin Zhang Pan Xu Chao Ma Xingqiang Liu Fang Wang Peng Wang Xudong Wang Yuan Liu En-Ge Wang Lei Liao Xuming Zou Sub-pA dark current infrared photodetection enabled by polarized water-intercalated heterojunctions Nature Communications |
| title | Sub-pA dark current infrared photodetection enabled by polarized water-intercalated heterojunctions |
| title_full | Sub-pA dark current infrared photodetection enabled by polarized water-intercalated heterojunctions |
| title_fullStr | Sub-pA dark current infrared photodetection enabled by polarized water-intercalated heterojunctions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sub-pA dark current infrared photodetection enabled by polarized water-intercalated heterojunctions |
| title_short | Sub-pA dark current infrared photodetection enabled by polarized water-intercalated heterojunctions |
| title_sort | sub pa dark current infrared photodetection enabled by polarized water intercalated heterojunctions |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59211-5 |
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