A non-metal selenium single atom-based self-powered photodetector

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Optoelectronics

Background:

• Non-layered selenium (Se) exhibits excellent optoelectronic properties, making it suitable for transistors and optoelectronic devices.
• Existing selenium nanostructures (nanosheets, quantum dots) have been explored for photoelectrochemical (PEC) devices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and utilize non-metal selenium single atoms (SAs) as active materials for a novel photoelectrochemical (PEC) photodetector.
• To evaluate the performance and stability of the Se SA-based PEC photodetector.

Main Methods:

• Design and synthesis of non-metal selenium single atoms (SAs).
• Fabrication of a prototypical photoelectrochemical (PEC) photodetector utilizing Se SAs.
• Characterization of the photodetector's photocurrent density, photoresponsivity, and PEC stability.

Main Results:

• The fabricated Se SA-based PEC photodetector demonstrated superior photocurrent density and photoresponsivity.
• The device exhibited ultrahigh PEC stability, outperforming previously reported Se nanostructure-based PEC devices.
• The results highlight the potential of Se SAs in advanced photodetector applications.

Conclusions:

• Non-metal selenium single atoms are effective active materials for high-performance PEC photodetectors.
• Se SA-based PEC photodetectors offer enhanced performance and stability compared to nanostructure-based devices.
• This work paves the way for practical applications of selenium in advanced optoelectronic devices.