Liquid Metal-Exfoliated SnO$_2$-Based Mixed-dimensional Heterostructures for Visible-to-Near-Infrared Photodetection

Abstract

Ultra-thin two-dimensional (2D) materials have gained significant attention for making next-generation optoelectronic devices. Here, we report a large-area heterojunction photodetector fabricated using a liquid metal-printed 2D $\text{SnO}_2$ layer transferred onto CdTe thin films. The resulting device demonstrates efficient broadband light sensing from visible to near-infrared wavelengths, with enhanced detectivity and faster photo response than bare CdTe photodetectors. Significantly, the device shows a nearly $10^5$-fold increase in current than the dark current level when illuminated with a 780 nm laser and achieves a specific detectivity of around $10^{12} \, \text{Jones}$, nearly two orders of magnitude higher than a device with pure CdTe thin film. Additionally, temperature-dependent optoelectronic testing shows that the device maintains a stable response up to $140^\circ \text{C}$ and generates distinctive photocurrent at temperatures up to $80^\circ \text{C}$, demonstrating its thermal stability. Using band structure analysis, density functional theory (DFT) calculations, and photocurrent mapping, the formation of a $p$-$n$ junction is indicated, contributing to the enhanced photo response attributed to the efficient carrier separation by the built-in potential in the hetero-junction and the superior electron mobility of 2D $\text{SnO}_2$. Our results highlight the effectiveness of integrating liquid metal-exfoliated 2D materials for enhanced photodetector performance.