Self‐Powered UV Photodetector Utilizing Plasmonic Hot Carriers in 2D α‐MoO3/Ir/Si Schottky Heterojunction Devices

Self‐powered UV sensing has enormous potential in military and civilian applications. However, achieving high responsivity and fast response/recovery time presents significant challenges. Self‐powered photodetectors (PDs) have several advantages over traditional PDs, including higher sensitivity, lower power consumption, and simpler design. This study introduces a breakthrough self‐powered PD that uses a Schottky junction of 2D α ‐MoO 3 /iridium (Ir)/Si ultrathin film to detect 365 nm light at 0 V bias through using atomic layer deposition (ALD) and sputtering systems. The PD response is enhanced by plasmonic Ir‐induced hot carriers, enabling detection in a mere 0.1 ms. Incorporating a 4 nm Ir layer boosts the responsivity from 0 to 34 A W −1 , and the external quantum efficiency is elevated from 0 to 7E11 under 365 nm light illumination. It also has a high I ON /I OFF ratio of 11.22E4 at 0 V. These results make the MoO 3 /4 nm Ir/Si structure an interesting option for self‐powered PDs with high efficiency, and the use of a simple ALD system for large‐scale fabrication of 2D α ‐MoO 3 on hot carrier Ir plasmonic layer. The findings of this research hold tremendous promise in the field of UV sensing and can lead to exciting developments in military and civilian technology.