Strong photothermoelectric response of the semimetal ZrTe3

Photodetectors based on the photothermoelectric effect (PTE) have garnered significant attention due to their high-speed photoresponse and other notable characteristics. The PTE photodetector possesses inherent advantages in terms of a wide spectral range. Studies have demonstrated that infrared photodetectors based on the photothermoelectric effect are not limited by the operating wavelength. The photothermoelectric infrared photodetectors based on semimetallic ZrTe₃ have not yet been reported. We employed first-principles calculations to demonstrate the significant Seebeck coefficient of ZrTe₃, providing a crucial foundation for achieving photo-thermoelectric response. Moreover, we fabricated a metal-ZrTe₃-metal photothermal infrared photodetector using the dry transfer process. The photodetector achieves a responsivity of up to 45 mA/W at the 1177 nm. Additionally, it demonstrated an ultrafast response time of 316 μs, highlighting the exceptional functionality of semi-metallic ZrTe₃ as a detection layer.