Bilayer Heterostructured PThTPTI/WS₂ Photodetectors with High Thermal Stability in Ambient Environment

Organic-based photodetectors (PDs) have great potential applications in next-generation portable, low-cost, large-area displays and optical communications. However, for practical applications, they are facing big challenges due to their instabilities in ambient environments, especially under high temperatures. Robust materials and device architectures are highly demanded to overcome the problem. In this report, we employed a donor conjugated polymer PThTPTI and realized thin-film PDs which can stably operate in ambient air under temperatures as high as 300 °C. By adding a discontinuous thin layer of WS₂ beneath the PThTPTI film, the device photosensitivity is significantly enhanced without loss of the high thermal stability. This work provides new insights in designing novel and stable organic-based devices for future optoelectronic applications.