Air-stable self-powered photodetector based on TaSe2/WS2/TaSe2 asymmetric heterojunction with surface self-passivation

Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides are highly suitable for constructing junction photodetectors because of their suspended bond-free surface and adjustable bandgap. Additional stable layers are often used to ensure the stability of photodetectors. Unfortunately, they often increase the complexity of preparation and cause performance degradation of devices. Considering the self-passivation behavior of TaSe2, we designed and fabricated a novel self-powered TaSe2/WS2/TaSe2 asymmetric heterojunction photodetector. The heterojunction photodetector shows excellent photoelectric performance and photovoltaic characteristics, achieving a high responsivity of 292 mA/W, an excellent specific detectivity of 2.43 × 1011 Jones, a considerable external quantum efficiency of 57 %, a large optical switching ratio of 2.6 × 105, a fast rise/decay time of 43/54 μs, a high open-circuit voltage of 0.23 V, and a short-circuit current of 2.28 nA under 633 nm laser irradiation at zero bias. Moreover, the device also shows a favorable optical response to 488 and 532 nm lasers. Notably, it exhibits excellent environmental long-term stability with the performance only decreasing ∼ 5.6 % after exposed to air for 3 months. This study provides a strategy for the development of air-stable self-powered photodetectors based on 2D materials.