This study proposes an innovative design strategy for molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) optoelectronic devices based on three-dimensional folded configurations. A “Z”-shaped folded MoS2 device was fabricated through mechanical exfoliation combined with a pre-strain technique on elastic substrates. Experimental investigations reveal that the geometric folding deformation induces novel photocurrent response zones near folded regions beyond the Schottky junction area via band structure reconstruction, achieving triple polarity switching (negative–positive–negative–positive) of photocurrent. This breakthrough overcomes the single-polarity separation mechanism limitation in conventional planar devices. Scanning photocurrent microscopy demonstrates a 40-fold enhancement in photocurrent intensity at folded regions compared to flat areas, attributed to the optimization of carrier separation efficiency through a pn junction-like built-in electric field induced by the three-dimensional configuration. Voltage-modulation experiments show that negative bias (−150 mV) expands positive response regions, while +200 mV bias induces a global negative response, revealing a dynamic synergy between folding deformation and electric field regulation. Theoretical analysis identifies that the band bending and built-in electric field in folded regions constitutes the physical origin of multiple polarity reversals. This work establishes a design paradigm integrating “geometric deformation-band engineering” for regulating optoelectronic properties of two-dimensional materials, demonstrating significant application potential in programmable photoelectric sensing and neuromorphic devices.
Infrared photodetectors are important for military, medical, and environmental applications. Dual-color quantum well infrared photodetectors (QWIPs) are attractive because they can provide multi-spectral information, but their performance is often limited by high dark current. In this study, we designed and fabricated two dual-color QWIPs. Sample A exhibits rectification-like dark-current behavior, whereas Sample B shows a nearly symmetric current–voltage characteristic together with an approximately two-order-of-magnitude reduction in dark current under the same operating condition. By combining secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), scanning spreading resistance microscopy (SSRM), energy-band simulations, and optoelectronic characterization, we show that Sample B exhibits a larger disparity in effective carrier distribution between the two quantum-well groups than Sample A. The experimental results and simulations consistently indicate that this disparity, together with the higher barrier design, is associated with a redistribution of the internal potential and a stronger voltage drop across the lightly doped region, which is consistent with reduced thermally activated carrier transport. Although the lower carrier concentration in the lightly doped wells is accompanied by reduced blackbody responsivity, the stronger suppression of dark current leads to a higher peak blackbody detectivity under identical blackbody-illumination conditions. At 50 K and −1.5 V, the peak blackbody detectivity of Sample B is approximately four times that of Sample A. These results support the conclusion that combining barrier-height design with controlled inter-group carrier disparity is an effective strategy for tuning carrier transport and improving the peak blackbody detectivity trade-off in dual-color QWIPs within the conditions examined here.