Dual sulfur sources redox dynamics guided growth of 〈hk1〉-oriented Sb₂S₃ microrods: lattice strain modulation for...

Antimony trisulfide (Sb₂S₃) has emerged as a promising inorganic semiconductor for optoelectronics due to its distinctive anisotropic crystal structure and suitable bandgap (∼1.7 eV). While hydrothermal synthesis remains challenging for achieving high crystallinity and controlled morphology, we developed an innovative dual‑sulfur precursor strategy utilizing sodium thiosulfate (STS) and thioacetamide (TAA) at a 7:2 M ratio with SbCl₃. This synergistic sulfur source system enables precise control over S^2- release kinetics, significantly enhancing crystal growth rates while promoting preferential [hk1] orientation in the resulting microrods. The optimized Sb₂S₃-based photodetector achieves superior photodetection performance with a 9.8 A·W^-1 responsivity at 560 nm (5 V bias), 2153 % external quantum efficiency, fast response (182/320 ms), broadband detection (400-750 nm), and high detectivity (1.27 × 10¹¹ Jones), while its defect-suppressed microrod structure enables an ultralow dark current of 4 × 10^-13 A (5 V bias), surpassing most reported Sb₂S₃ devices. This synthesis method effectively suppresses defects in Sb₂S₃ microrods, advancing their potential for practical optoelectronic applications.