Chemical Vapor Deposition of Two-Dimensional PbS Nanoplates for Photodetection

Non-layered two-dimensional (2D) lead sulfide (PbS) has attracted growing interest recently due to its direct narrow bandgap (0.4 eV) and broad spectral detection from visible to mid-IR region, which lead to remarkable electronic and optoelectronic properties promising for real applications. We report the chemical vapor deposition growth of highly crystalline 2D PbS crystals on mica substrates. The high quality and uniformity of 2D PbS nanoplates are confirmed by atomic force microscopy, x-ray powder diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The morphology and lateral size are controllable by different growth temperatures. Photodetectors made from 2D PbS nanoplates reveal good stability, high photoresponsivity, and fast response time, which indicates their promising applications for ultrathin optoelectronics.