Dual‐Polarity Response in Self‐Powered Infrared SnTe Photodetector with Double Symmetric Schottky Junctions

Abstract Self‐powered photodetectors with dual‐polarity response have great advantages in processing complex light information that is proven to be applied in switchable light imaging, optical communication, and spectral band distinction. Here, a novel strategy for designing self‐powered photodetectors by introducing the double symmetric Schottky junctions at the semiconductor‐metal interfaces is proposed, which guarantees the linear response characteristic and dominates the transfer of photogenerated carriers without external bias. Narrow bandgap semiconductor SnTe is employed as the photosensitive material. The bandgap is characterized to be 126 meV, showing great potential for wide spectrum response. As the consequence of selective excitation of unilateral Schottky junction and switching of electric field polarity, the device obtains a dual‐polarity photoresponse, which can be tuned from −14.8 to 13.5 µV. Moreover, an ultra‐broadband photoresponse from near‐infrared 808 nm to far infrared 10.6 µm is achieved with deep exploration of the working mechanism. The synergistic effect of photo thermoelectricity and photoconductivity created a high photoresponsivity of 0.35 mV W −1 excited by 10.6 µm at room temperature. This work provides a novel design strategy for self‐powered photodetectors with a dual‐polarity powered principle, which can take full advantage of the directivity of the photoresponse to identify optical information.