Photoswitchable semiconductor bismuth sulfide (Bi2S3) nanowires and their self-supported nanowire arrays

Self-supported Bi2S3 nanowire arrays with sizes up to several millimeters were prepared by a facile hydrothermal method. In our work, the oriented nanowire arrays were supported on a self-generated nanowire networked substrate. The as-prepared Bi2S3 nanowire exhibited nonlinear current-voltage (I-V) characteristics and excellent photoresponse. It is suggested that the rectifying behavior comes from the Schottky contact between the Bi2S3 nanowire and the Au electrodes. As the light source was switched on and off, the nanowire could be reversibly switched between low and high conductivity, indicating its potential applications in optoelectronic nanodevices.