Efficient Self-Driven Photodetectors Featuring a Mixed-Dimensional van der Waals Heterojunction Formed from a CdS Nanowire and a MoTe2 Flake

Heterojunctions formed from low-dimensional materials can result in photovoltaic and photodetection devices displaying exceptional physical properties and excellent performance. Herein, a mixed-dimensional van der Waals (vdW) heterojunction comprising a 1D n-type Ga-doped CdS nanowire and a 2D p-type MoTe2 flake is demonstrated; the corresponding photovoltaic device exhibits an outstanding conversion efficiency of 15.01% under illumination with white light at 650 mu W cm(-2). A potential difference of 80 meV measured, using Kelvin probe force microscopy, at the CdS-MoTe2 interface confirms the separation and accumulation of photoexcited carriers upon illumination. Moreover, the photodetection characteristics of the vdW heterojunction device at zero bias reveal a rapid response time (<50 ms) and a photoresponsivity that are linearly proportional to the power density of the light. Interestingly, the response of the vdW heterojunction device is negligible when illuminated at 580 nm; this exceptional behavior is presumably due to the rapid rate of recombination of the photoexcited carriers of MoTe2. Such mixed-dimensional vdW heterojunctions appear to be novel design elements for efficient photovoltaic and self-driven photodetection devices.