CVT grown CuSe single crystals: Unveiling photodetection advancements and thermoelectric promise

Over the past few decades, transition metal chalcogenides garnered global recognition for their noteworthy contributions to the modeling and engineering of electronic, optoelectronic, and thermoelectric devices to improve overall device performance. In the current investigation, the first ever growth of CuSe single crystals is achieved utilizing the chemical vapor transport technique with iodine serving as a transporting medium. The ascertainment of the hexagonal unit cell configuration in the grown CuSe crystals with the P63/mmc space group is substantiated via powder X-ray diffraction examination. The micro-surface characteristics exhibited planar facets outlined by layer boundaries, signifying crystal development through a mechanism reliant on layer growth. The direct optical bandgap of 1⋅64 eV for CuSe single crystals is unveiled by optical reflectance spectrum, demonstrating its aptitude for incorporation into photodetectors. The Raman spectrum manifested a prominent peak at 259 cm−1, aligning to Ag1 vibrational mode. The exploration of temperature-induced fluctuations in the power factor and figure of merit unveiled a progressive increase with rising temperatures. The optimal ZT parameter for the CuSe single crystals attains 0⋅058 at 523 K. The thermogravimetric patterns of CuSe single crystals exhibited singular step decomposition, exemplified by an average weight reduction of 25⋅49 % across the temperature spectrum from ambient to 813 K. The current−voltage (I–V) features of the fabricated CuSe single crystal photodetector are assessed under biasing voltage set at 20 mV at ambient temperature. Under a bias voltage of 20 mV and a polychromatic light intensity of 50 mW/cm2, the achieved responsivity is 4335⋅57 μA/W and a detectivity of 135 × 106 Jones. The photoresponse and thermoelectric examination of CuSe crystals alludes to their potential utility in innovative applications on the horizon.