Enhanced Performance of a Self‐Powered Organic/Inorganic Photodetector by Pyro‐Phototronic and Piezo‐Phototronic Effects

Self‐powered photodetectors (PDs) have long been realized by utilizing photovoltaic effect and their performances can be effectively enhanced by introducing the piezo‐phototronic effect. Recently, a novel pyro‐phototronic effect is invented as an alternative approach for performance enhancement of self‐powered PDs. Here, a self‐powered organic/inorganic PD is demonstrated and the influences of externally applied strain on the pyro‐phototronic and the photovoltaic effects are thoroughly investigated. Under 325 nm 2.30 mW cm ‐2 UV illumination and at a ‐0.45% compressive strain, the PD's photocurrent is dramatically enhanced from ≈14.5 to ≈103 nA by combining the pyro‐phototronic and piezo‐phototronic effects together, showing a significant improvement of over 600%. Theoretical simulations have been carried out via the finite element method to propose the underlying working mechanism. Moreover, the pyro‐phototronic effect can be introduced by applying a ‐0.45% compressive strain to greatly enhance the PD's response to 442 nm illumination, including photocurrent, rise time, and fall time. This work provides in‐depth understandings about the pyro‐phototronic and the piezo‐phototronic effects on the performances of self‐powered PD to light sources with different wavelengths and indicates huge potential of these two effects in optoelectronic devices.