Synthesis of a Selectively Nb-Doped WS2-MoS2 Lateral Heterostructure for a High-Detectivity PN Photodiode

In this study, selective Nb doping (P-type) at the WS2 layer in a WS2-MoS2 lateral heterostructure via a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method using a solution-phase precursor containing W, Mo, and Nb atoms is proposed. The different chemical activity reactivity (MoO3 > WO3 > Nb2O5) enable the separation of the growth temperature of intrinsic MoS2 to 700 degrees C (first grown inner layer) and Nb-doped WS2 to 800 degrees C (second grown outer layer). By controlling the Nb/(W+Nb) molar ratio in the solution precursor, the hole carrier density in the p-type WS2 layer is selectively controlled from approximately 1.87 x 10(7)/cm(2) at 1.5 at.% Nb to approximately 1.16 x 10(13)/cm(2) at 8.1 at.% Nb, while the electron carrier density in n-type MoS2 shows negligible change with variation of the Nb molar ratio. As a result, the electrical behavior of the WS2-MoS2 heterostructure transforms from the N-N junction (0 at.% Nb) to the P-N junction (4.5 at.% Nb) and the P-N tunnel junction (8.1 at.% Nb). The band-to -band tunneling at the P-N tunnel junction (8.1 at.% Nb) is eliminated by applying negative gate bias, resulting in a maximum rectification ratio (10(5)) and a minimum channel resistance (10(8) omega). With this optimized photodiode (8.1 at.% Nb at V-g = -30 V), an I-photo/I-dark ratio of 6000 and a detectivity of 1.1 x 10(14)Jones are achieved, which are approximately 20 and 3 times higher, respectively, than the previously reported highest values for CVD-grown transition-metal dichalcogenide P-N junctions.

Automated summary

In this study, selective doping of Nb in a WS2-MoS2 lateral heterostructure was proposed, resulting in a transformation of the electrical behavior from N-N junction to P-N junction and P-N tunnel junction. By optimizing the structure, a photodiode with high rectification ratio and detectivity was achieved.