Ultrafast and Broad-Band Graphene Heterojunction Photodetectors with High Gain

Graphene possesses an exotic band structure that spans a wide range of important technological wavelength regimes for photodetection, all within a single material. Conventional methods aimed at enhancing detection efficiency often suffer from an extended response time when the light is switched off. The task of achieving ultrafast broad-band photodetection with a high gain remains challenging. Here, we propose a devised architecture that combines graphene with a photosensitizer composed of an alternating strip superstructure of WS₂–WSe₂. Upon illumination, n⁺-WS₂ and p⁺-WSe₂ strips create alternating electron- and hole-conduction channels in graphene, effectively overcoming the tradeoff between the responsivity and switch time. This configuration allows for achieving a responsivity of 1.7 × 10⁷ mA/W, with an extrinsic response time of 3–4 μs. The inclusion of the superstructure booster enables photodetection across a wide range from the near-ultraviolet to mid-infrared regime and offers a distinctive photogating route for high responsivity and fast temporal response in the pursuit of broad-band detection.