High-performance photothermal effect in MOCVD grown topological insulator Sb₂Te₃ nanograting

Photothermal energy has been widely used in high-tech applications, such as heating/cooling systems, bio-imaging, bio-sensing, and medical therapies. However, conventional photothermal materials have narrow photo-absorption bandwidth and low photothermal conversion efficiency. Innovative materials that can more efficiently harvest photothermal energy are highly demanded. Topological insulator materials with excellent optical properties hold great potential in photo-absorption and photothermal conversion. This work investigated and engineered photo-absorption and photothermal effect in Sb2Te3 topological insulator nanograting. The TI material was grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition to exploit the benefits of the process, yielding high material quality and large deposition areas. Through a meticulous process encompassing material synthesis, engineering, and characterization, highly absorptive Sb2Te3 topological insulator nanograting and efficient photothermal conversion have been achieved. This research contributes to the advancement of the fundamental knowledge of light-matter interaction and photothermal effects in topological insulator materials. The outcomes of this study can benefit the development of efficient photothermal materials for high-performance nano-energy and biomedical technologies.