Elucidating the Photoresponse of Ultrathin MoS2 Field-Effect Transistors by Scanning Photocurrent Microscopy

The mechanisms underlying the intrinsic photoresponse of few-layer (FL) molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) field-effect transistors are investigated via scanning photocurrent microscopy. We attribute the locally enhanced photocurrent to band-bending-assisted separation of photoexcited carriers at the MoS2/Au interface. The wavelength-dependent photocurrents of FL MoS2 transistors qualitatively follow the optical absorption spectra of MoS2, providing direct evidence of interband photoexcitation. Time and spectrally resolved photocurrent measurements at varying external electric fields and carrier concentrations establish that drift-diffusion currents dominate photothermoelectric currents in devices under bias.