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    Competitive polarization-enhanced flexophotovoltaic effect in a piezoelectric Janus In2STe monolayer

    Degao Xu1,*, Jiahua Xu1, Helong Chen2, Meng Ge2, Jiansheng Dong4, Shanjun Chen1, Chenjie Dai1, Xianzhuo Wang1, Jianing Tan4 et al.

    Wenxing Yang1,† and Gang Ouyang2,3,‡

    • 1School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Yangtze University, Jingzhou 434023, China
    • 2Key Laboratory of Low-Dimensional Quantum Structures and Quantum Control of Ministry of Education, School of Physics and Electronics, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
    • 3State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies (Sun Yat-sen University), Guangzhou 510275, China
    • 4Department of Physics, Jishou University, Jishou 416000, China

    • *Contact author: degaoxu@yangtzeu.edu.cn
    • †Contact author: wxyang@yangtzeu.edu.cn
    • ‡Contact author: gangouy@hunnu.edu.cn

    Phys. Rev. B 112, 245418 – Published 17 December, 2025

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/dfqf-4vxv

    Abstract

    The flexo-photovoltaic (FPV) effect, whereby the induction of a bulk photovoltaic response by a strain gradient, offers a promising mechanism for advanced optoelectronics beyond conventional material symmetries. Here, a pronounced FPV effect in the piezoelectric Janus In2STe monolayer is reported based on first-principles calculations, where the electronic structure and polarization are exquisitely sensitive to strain gradients. The exceptional flexibility (35.23 N/m), combined with a high out-of-plane piezoelectric coefficient (0.24 pm/V) and a substantial flexoelectric coefficient (4.58 nC/m), underpins strong electromechanical coupling. We harness this to create a polarization-sensitive photodetector that exhibits a self-powered photocurrent via FPV effect, amplified by nearly two orders of magnitude through synergistic piezoelectric-flexoelectric coupling. This coupling can be tuned to a competitive regime, yielding a distinct self-rectifying state. Finally, we integrate these effects to demonstrate dynamic control over photo-carriers, enabling a trichannel optical communication system with enhanced data density. This work establishes a versatile multifunctional coupling architecture for a new generation of intelligent flexible optoelectronics.

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