Flexible Photodetector with Ultrahigh on/off Current Ratio Based on Monocrystal PbI2 Nanosheet via Micro-Spacing In-Air Sublimation

Two-dimensional (2D) materials are competitive in a diverse range of areas, spanning from electronic and optoelectronic devices to wearable devices, due to their unique physical and chemical characteristics, as well as remarkable flexibility. As a typical 2D material, lead iodide (PbI2), featuring a high atomic number and tunable band gap, has been extensively studied in many applications of electroluminescent (EL) devices, photodetectors, and perovskite solar cells. However, high-performance PbI2-based photodetectors remain a challenge. Herein, we present a high-performance flexible photodetector based on 2D layered PbI2 nanoplates, which were synthesized via a straightforward air sublimation method. The PbI2-based photodetector exhibits an excellent photoresponse and the highest responsivity peaks at 34 A/W at 405 nm, together with an ultrahigh transient switching on/off current ratio of 107. Due to a low dark current (10−14 A), the device exhibits an extremely low noise level (<10−26 A2Hz−1) and acceptable detectivity (2 × 1010 Jones). Furthermore, remarkable mechanical flexibility was observed in the device on a PET substrate, preserving both its electrical conductance and photoresponse stability after 560 bending cycles. Finally, high-resolution imaging applications were implemented under a 100 Hz modulated light signal. This work highlights the superior optoelectrical properties of 2D PbI2 growth by the in-air sublimation method and proves its promising future in flexible and wearable optoelectronic devices.