Broadband self-powered photodetector enabled by a MOF/organic heterojunction architecture

Abstract Broadband, low-power, and solution-processable organic photodetectors are essential for next-generation optoelectronic sensing. Two-dimensional conductive metal−organic frameworks (2D cMOFs) based on zinc tetracarboxyphenyl porphyrin (Zn-TCPP) offer strong light absorption and efficient charge transport, yet their photoresponse remains confined to the ultraviolet−visible (UV−Vis) region. To address this limitation, this study develops a solution-compatible strategy for constructing a well-defined MOF/organic semiconductor type-Ⅱ heterojunction by spin-coating a high-performance Y6 layer onto Zn-TCPP films. The resulting heterostructure provides complementary spectral absorption, promotes efficient exciton dissociation, and enables directional charge carrier transport, thereby achieving self-powered broadband photodetection spanning the ultraviolet to near-infrared (UV−NIR) range. The device demonstrates outstanding performance, including an ultra-low dark current (down to 3.40 × 10 −13 A), high responsivity, and an ultrafast transient response with a rise time of 4.4 ms. This work establishes a generalizable approach for engineering high-efficiency MOF/organic semiconductor heterojunctions and offers a promising platform for low-cost, broadband, and self-powered photodetectors for biomedical and advanced sensing applications.