Probing Photocurrent Response in 2D Materials Using Scanning Photocurrent Microscopy

Understanding the photoresponse of 2D materials and their heterostructures is important for applications in optoelectronic devices, including photovoltaics, photodetectors, etc. Scanning photocurrent microscopy is a useful photoresponsivity mapping technique for characterizing the optoelectronic properties of nanomaterials including carrier diffusion lengths, internal electric field distribution, band bending effects at heterojunctions, photothermal properties, and information about recombination mechanisms. Results contained are the exploration of 2D material heterojunctions of InSe/WSe₂ and MoSe₂/black phosphorous as well as the recently discovered PdSe₂. This tool, operating as part of a user facility, can be used to investigate optoelectronic properties and applications of a wide range of nanomaterials, as is demonstrated in several use cases.