A Te microwire/2D organic–inorganic hybrid perovskite heterojunction self-powered polarization photodetector for imaging and communication encoding

Abstract

Organic–inorganic hybrid perovskite ferroelectrics with a two-dimensional (2D) structure offer a unique pathway for self-powered polarization detection, yet their performance is often limited by insufficient anisotropic ratios and carrier separation efficiency. 1D Te microwires exhibit strong broad spectral response, high carrier mobility and pronounced structural anisotropy. In this study, a 2D single crystal (EA)₂(MA)₂Pb₃Cl₁₀ (EMPC3) was synthesized on the millimeter scale by using a temperature-lowering method from a saturated solution. The Te microwires prepared via a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method were coated on the EMPC3 crystal to obtain a Te/EMPC3 heterojunction. Due to the synergy between the ferroelectric photovoltaic effect of EMPC3 and the built-in electric field of heterojunction, the Te/EMPC3 device exhibits significantly enhanced self-powered photoresponse performance in the 280–1006 nm range, showing the highest peak responsivity in the solar blind ultraviolet region. A Te/EMPC3 device at 280 nm and 0 V exhibits a higher on/off ratio up to 10³, responsivity of 2.34 A W⁻¹, specific detectivity of 4.5 × 10¹² Jones, rise/decay time of 43/33 ms, and dichroic ratio of 3.0, respectively. In contrast, the EMPC3 device requires an external bias (1.2 V) to achieve only limited performance (on/off ratio of 178, 0.95 A W⁻¹), underscoring the critical role of the Te/EMPC3 heterojunction in enabling high-performance zero-bias operation. Furthermore, the Te/EMPC3 device exhibits a significantly enhanced dichroic ratio of 3.0 at zero bias, compared to 1.8 for the pure EMPC3 device under bias, demonstrating that heterojunction formation amplifies the intrinsic anisotropy and endows superior polarization sensitivity without an external power supply. The significantly enhanced anisotropy ratio renders the device highly promising for applications in polarization imaging and dual-wavelength encrypted communication. This demonstrates the potential of the heterojunction system as a new platform for next-generation, self-powered, polarization-sensitive optoelectronics.