Enhanced photoelectric properties of PbSnSe thin films via quick oxygen ion-implantation sensitization

Although chalcogenide materials continue to generate considerable interest due to great potentials for various optoelectronic devices, annealing for a long time in oxygen or halide atmospheres is necessary to endow them photo-sensitivity. This paper proposes a universal approach to improve optoelectrical properties for thin film photoresistors (TFPs) by quick-oxygen-sensitizing the doped chalcogenide material PbSnSe with ion implantation. Compared with the as-deposited film, the implanted film exhibits much more uniform image, higher optical absorption, broader optical band gap and better photoelectronic properties. In sensitized PbSnSe TFPs, the PbSnO 3 phase formed, which can trap minority carriers, enabling enhanced photoconduction. We also demonstrate the performance of sensitized PbSnSe TFPs with ultraquick and stable photo-response for IR irradiation. The photosensitivity of the sensitized PbSnSe TFPs was about 4.1%, which is about 41.5% higher than that of its as-deposited counterpart. Moreover, the photosensitivity attenuation was restricted by sensitization. The results indicate promising potentials for sensitized chalcogenide platforms, and the developed strategy can be applied for high-performance chalcogenide optoelectronics. Graphical abstract