Room-temperature low-threshold avalanche effect in stepwise van-der-Waals homojunction photodiodes

Hailu Wang, Hui Xia (), Yaqian Liu, Yue Chen, Runzhang Xie, Zhen Wang, Peng Wang, Jinshui Miao, Fang Wang, Tianxin Li, Lan Fu, Piotr Martyniuk, Jianbin Xu, Weida Hu () and Wei Lu ()
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Hailu Wang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Hui Xia: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yaqian Liu: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yue Chen: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Runzhang Xie: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Zhen Wang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Peng Wang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Jinshui Miao: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Fang Wang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Tianxin Li: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Lan Fu: The Australian National University
Piotr Martyniuk: Military University of Technology
Jianbin Xu: The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Weida Hu: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Wei Lu: Chinese Academy of Sciences

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract Avalanche or carrier-multiplication effect, based on impact ionization processes in semiconductors, has a great potential for enhancing the performance of photodetector and solar cells. However, in practical applications, it suffers from high threshold energy, reducing the advantages of carrier multiplication. Here, we report on a low-threshold avalanche effect in a stepwise WSe2 structure, in which the combination of weak electron-phonon scattering and high electric fields leads to a low-loss carrier acceleration and multiplication. Owing to this effect, the room-temperature threshold energy approaches the fundamental limit, Ethre ≈ Eg, where Eg is the bandgap of the semiconductor. Our findings offer an alternative perspective on the design and fabrication of future avalanche and hot-carrier photovoltaic devices.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47958-2

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