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Type-I SnSe2/ZnS heterostructure improving photoelectrochemical photodetection and water splitting

设计并构建I型SnSe2/ZnS异质结构提升其光电化学 探测及水分解性能

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Abstract

Two-dimensional van der Waals heterostructures have been widely designed and applied to numerous optoelectronic devices such as photoelectrochemical (PEC)-type photodetectors, water splitting, and solar cells. The understanding of the influence of band alignment in type-I heterostructures on the photoelectric response remains incomplete yet essential for designing new optoelectronic devices. Herein, two-step physical vapor deposition is used to construct a type-I SnSe2/ZnS heterostructure, which is confirmed by ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The type-I heterostructure-based PEC-type photodetector exhibits excellent photoresponse, high stability, and high sensitivity in the ultraviolet-visible range. Furthermore, the photoresponsivity of SnSe2/ZnS is up to 172.60 µA W−1, which is 7.4- and 2.0-fold larger than that of pure ZnS and SnSe2, respectively. Moreover, the SnSe2/ZnS heterostructure possesses high photoelectrocatalytic activity in water splitting, and the total hydrogen production within 2 h is up to 81.25 µmol cm−2. The high PEC-type photodetector and water splitting performances in SnSe2/ZnS are due to the synergistic effect of high light utilization and efficient charge transport. Our work provides a new method for improving photoelectric response by forming type-I heterostructures and for designing high-performance optoelectronic devices for photodetectors and water splitting.

摘要

二维范德瓦尔斯异质结构广泛应用于光电化学(PEC)型光电探 测器、水分解和太阳能电池等光电器件中. 其中, I型异质结构对于设 计新型光电器件至关重要, 然而其能带排列对光电响应的影响尚不清 楚. 本文利用两步物理气相沉积法构建了I型SnSe2/ZnS异质结构, 并通 过紫外光电子能谱和X射线光电子能谱进行了验证. 基于I型SnSe2/ZnS 异质结构的光电化学探测器在紫外可见范围内具有良好的光响应、高 稳定性和高灵敏度. SnSe2/ZnS的光响应可达172.60 μA W−1, 分别是单 一ZnS和SnSe2样品的7.4和2.0倍. 并且, SnSe2/ZnS异质结构具有较高的 光电催化分解水活性, 在2 h内总产氢量可达81.25 μmol cm−2. SnSe2/ZnS异质结优异的光电探测和水分解性能主要源于其更高的光利用率 和高效电荷传输的协同作用. 本工作为通过构建I型异质结构来提高光 电响应并设计高性能光电探测器和水分解等光电器件提供了一种新 方法.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (12074311).

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  1. These authors contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Shaanxi Joint Lab of Graphene, State Key Laboratory of Photon-Technology in Western China Energy, International Collaborative Center on Photoelectric Technology and Nano Functional Materials, Institute of Photonics & Photon-Technology, School of Physics, Northwest University, Xi’an, 710069, China

    Xinyi Xue  (薛馨怡), Chunhui Lu  (卢春辉), Mingwei Luo  (罗铭威), Taotao Han  (韩涛涛), Yuqi Liu  (刘玉琪), Yanqing Ge  (葛燕青), Wen Dong  (董雯) & Xinlong Xu  (徐新龙)

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  1. Xinyi Xue  (薛馨怡)
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  2. Chunhui Lu  (卢春辉)
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Contributions

Xue X and Lu C performed the experiments and analysis; Luo M, Han T, and Liu Y conducted the characterization and analysis; Ge Y and Dong W designed the experiments; Xu X performed the proofreading; Xue X and Lu C wrote the paper with support from Xu X. All authors contributed to the general discussion.

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Correspondence to Xinlong Xu  (徐新龙).

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The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Supplementary information

Experimental details and supporting data are available in the online version of the paper.

Xinyi Xue is currently working toward a master’s degree at the Northwest University, Xi’an, China. Her main research direction is the preparation of 2D materials and their optoelectronic properties.

Chunhui Lu is currently working toward a doctoral degree at the Northwest University, Xi’an, China. His main research direction is the preparation of 2D materials and their optoelectronic properties.

Xinlong Xu received his PhD degree from the Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China, in 2006. He worked as a research assistant at the National Center for Nanoscience and Technology in China, a postdoctoral scholar at Oxford University in England and Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, and an associate researcher at the Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, respectively, from 2006 to 2012. He joined the Northwest University, Xi’an, China, in 2012, as a professor. His research interests include ultrafast optics and THz physics with metamaterials and 2D materials.

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Xue, X., Lu, C., Luo, M. et al. Type-I SnSe2/ZnS heterostructure improving photoelectrochemical photodetection and water splitting. Sci. China Mater. 66, 127–138 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40843-022-2156-y

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