Reversible Photoinduced Metallization
Light irradiation transforms the semiconductor surface layer into metallic copper in situ, with reversible recovery upon heating, enabling the first reversible semiconductor-to-metal transition between two distinct materials.
Chen, Meiling · Liu, Wenhao · Ding, Pengcheng · Li, Zhuo · Chen, Yanghan · Wei, Yi · Sun, Ye · Lu, Jianchen · Kantorovich, Lev N. · Yu, Miao
Nature Communications 2025
First demonstration of photoinduced semiconductor-to-metal transition between two distinct materials
Cu2Se surface layer transforms to metallic Cu under light, with Se atoms sinking to form a Cu2Se sublayer
Photoinduced transition barrier significantly lower than ground state
Reverse transition achieved by heating