Thermally phase-transformed In2Se3 nanowires for highly sensitive photodetectors

The photoresponse characteristics of In2Se3 nanowire photodetectors with the κ-phase and α-phase structures are investigated. The as-grown κ-phase In2Se3 nanowires by the vapor-liquid-solid technique are phase-transformed to the α-phase nanowires by thermal annealing. The photoresponse performances of the κ-phase and α-phase In2Se3 nanowire photodetectors are characterized over a wide range of wavelengths (300-900 nm). The phase of the nanowires is analyzed using a high-resolution transmission microscopy equipped with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The electrical conductivity and photoresponse characteristics are significantly enhanced in the α-phase due to smaller bandgap structure compared to the κ-phase nanowires. The spectral responsivities of the α-phase devices are 200 times larger than those of the κ-phase devices. The superior performance of the thermally phase-transformed In2Se3 nanowire devices offers an avenue to develop highly sensitive photodetector applications.