Bi2Te3/Bi2Se3/Bi2S3 Cascade Heterostructure for Fast-Response and High-Photoresponsivity Photodetector and High-Efficiency Water Splitting with a Small Bias Voltage

Large-scale multi-heterostructure and optimal band alignment are significantly challenging but vital for photoelectrochemical (PEC)-type photodetector and water splitting. Herein, the centimeter-scale bismuth chalcogenides-based cascade heterostructure is successfully synthesized by a sequential vapor phase deposition method. The multi-staggered band alignment of Bi2Te3/Bi2Se3/Bi2S3 is optimized and verified by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The PEC photodetectors based on these cascade heterostructures demonstrate the highest photoresponsivity (103 mA W-1 at -0.1 V and 3.5 mAW(-1) at 0 V under 475 nm light excitation) among the previous reports based on two-dimensional materials and related heterostructures. Furthermore, the photodetectors display a fast response (approximate to 8 ms), a high detectivity (8.96 x 10(9) Jones), a high external quantum efficiency (26.17%), and a high incident photon-to-current efficiency (27.04%) at 475 nm. Due to the rapid charge transport and efficient light absorption, the Bi2Te3/Bi2Se3/Bi2S3 cascade heterostructure demonstrates a highly efficient hydrogen production rate (approximate to 0.416 mmol cm(-2) h(-1) and approximate to 14.320 mu mol cm(-2) h(-1) with or without sacrificial agent, respectively), which is far superior to those of pure bismuth chalcogenides and its type-II heterostructures. The large-scale cascade heterostructure offers an innovative method to improve the performance of optoelectronic devices in the future.

Automated summary

Large-scale cascade heterostructure based on bismuth chalcogenides is synthesized and optimized, exhibiting high-performance photodetectors with superior photoresponsivity and efficiencies. The cascade heterostructures also demonstrate efficient hydrogen production, surpassing pure bismuth chalcogenides and its type-II heterostructures. This innovative approach provides potential enhancements for future optoelectronic devices.