Dark-Current-Suppressed Semimetal-Based ZrTe3/CuInP2Se6 Heterostructure Photodetector for Information Encryption and Decryption

• • The ZrTe3/CuInP2Se6 heterostructure photodetector achieves broadband spectral sensitivity from 355 nm (UV) to 1177 nm (NIR), enabling operation across UV-Vis-NIR bands with a single device architecture. • • The device exhibits microsecond-level response speed, with rise and fall times on the order of microseconds, critical for high-speed optical communication and imaging systems requiring rapid signal acquisition. • • The asymmetric contact configuration introduces a Schottky barrier that suppresses dark current, directly improving the signal-to-noise ratio and specific detectivity (D*), which is essential for low-light detection and high-sensitivity applications. • • The photodetector demonstrates an optoelectronic information encryption-decryption application using modulated light and bias voltage as dual input channels to encode and decode ASCII signals, showcasing a novel approach for secure optical communication.