Photo Carrier Research Articles

Improving photoexcited carrier separation through Z-scheme W18O49/BiOBr heterostructure coupling carbon quantum dots for efficient photoelectric response and tetracycline photodegradation

Building Z-scheme heterostructure integrating oxygen vacancies seems to effectively encourage photoexcited charge partition and hence photoelectric response and photocatalytic performance. Here, through the inclusion of carbon quantum dots (CQDs) with W18O49/BiOBr (WB) for enhancing electron exchange and band structure control, we have developed one Z-scheme ternary CQD/W18O49/BiOBr heterostructures (CWB) with intense oxygen vacancies. The optimal CWB heterostructure shows superior photocatalytic and photoelectric response execution. The findings indicate that CWB has higher photocatalytic degradation efficiency of tetracycline hydrochloride (TC) at 97 % compared to WB or W18O49 alone. Additionally, the CWB shows a higher photocurrent density, surpassing WB and W18O49 by 2.5 times and 5.4 times. A potential self-supplied photoelectrochemical-type photodetector utilizing CWB displays relatively quick and stable photoelectric response at 0 V. The improved photo-electric performance are linked to the combined impact of separation and redistribution of charges caused by Z-scheme heterostructure and oxygen vacancies, as well as intensive light absorbance by localized surface plasmon resonance. Our research also validates significance of CQDs as cocatalyst in accelerating the splitting of photo carriers in Z-scheme ternary CWB heterostructures, which will stimulate interest in creating advanced photoactive heterojunction substance with carbon nanomaterials.

A Near-Infrared Retinomorphic Device with High Dimensionality Reservoir Expression.

Physical reservoir-based reservoir computing (RC) systems for intelligent perception have recently gained attention because they require fewer computing resources. However, the system remains limited in infrared (IR) machine vision, including materials and physical reservoir expression power. Inspired by biological visual perception systems, the study proposes a near-infrared (NIR) retinomorphic device that simultaneously perceives and encodes narrow IR spectral information (at ≈980nm). The proposed device, featuring core-shell upconversion nanoparticle/poly (3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) nanocomposite channels, enables the absorption and conversion of NIR into high-energy photons to excite more photo carriers in P3HT. The photon-electron-coupled dynamics under the synergy of photovoltaic and photogating effects influence the nonlinearity and high dimensionality of the RC system under narrow-band NIR irradiation. The device also exhibits multilevel data storage capability (≥8 levels), excellent stability (≥2000 s), and durability (≥100 cycles). The system accurately identifies NIR static and dynamic handwritten digit images, achieving recognition accuracies of 91.13% and 90.07%, respectively. Thus, the device tackles intricate computations like solving second-order nonlinear dynamic equations with minimal errors (normalized mean squared errorof 1.06 × 10⁻3 during prediction).

Photoelectric Characteristics of the Heterojunction n-GaAs-p-(GaAs)1-x-y(Ge2)x(ZnSe)y

The photoelectric properties of n-GaAs – p-(GaAs)1–x–y(Ge2)x(ZnSe)y heterostructures have been investigated both in photodiode and photovoltaic modes. It has been revealed that the spectral dependence of the photocurrent covers a wide range of energy intervals, ranging from 1.07 eV to 3 eV. It has been demonstrated that as the temperature of the crystallization onset (Toc) increases, the peaks of the spectral dependencies of the photoelectromotive force (photo-EMF) shift towards shorter wavelengths. It has been observed that as the crystallization onset temperature (Toc) of the solid solution layer (GaAs)1–x–y(Ge2)x(ZnSe)y increases, the lifetime of photo carriers increases from 10-7 s at Toc=650°C to 5·10-5 s at Toc=730°C. It is demonstrated that the peaks of the intrinsic photoluminescence band shift towards shorter wavelengths with an increase in the temperature of the crystallization onset. Additionally, the study of the intrinsic spectral region of photoluminescence in samples across the thickness of the epitaxial layer confirms the variability of the obtained structures.

Study on optoelectronic properties of CuInSe2/CuInSSe films and PN junctions

CuInSe2 (CIS) is a semiconductor with a direct bandgap of about 1.04 eV. Its potential applications in the field of flexible thin-film solar cells are vast and promising. Improving cell performance through the sulfidation of the CIS absorber layer is a vital method. Furthermore, the bandgap can be adjusted through ideal element doping and interfacial state recombination can be decreased. In this study, the mixed source vacuum evaporation is used to prepare CIS, CuInS1.5Se0.5 and CuInS0.5Se1.5 films, followed by annealing under N2, S, and Se atmospheres. Subsequently, Mo/CIS/CdS PN junction and Mo/CuInSxSe2-x (x = 0.5 or 1.5)/CdS PN junctions are fabricated. The results demonstrate that Se-annealing of CIS films reduces hetero-phase formation, improves crystallization quality and yields high intensities of transmittance and reflectance. S-annealing of CISSe films results in enhanced intensities of transmittance and reflectance. The intensities of the primary XRD peaks of CuInS0.5Se1.5 film are greater than those of the CuInS1.5Se0.5 film. The morphologies of the CISSe films become flatter and smoother as annealing in S-atmosphere. The CuInS1.5Se0.5 film shows a higher photocurrent compared to the CuInS0.5Se1.5 film, suggesting that a greater proportion of S can enhance photo carrier concentration of CISSe films. Additionally, the carrier transport in S-annealed CuInS0.5Se1.5/CdS PN junction is predominantly governed by tunneling current mechanism, while carrier transports of other PN junctions are regulated by leakage current mechanism.

Enhanced photocatalytic degradation of oxytetracycline by Z-scheme heterostructure ZIF-8/Bi4O5Br2

Semiconductor photocatalysis technology has a wide range of application in the treatment of environmental pollution. In this study, the Z-scheme heterojunction photocatalyst ZIF-8/Bi4O5Br2 was synthesized by hydrothermal method. The morphology, structure, mechanism and photocatalytic performance of the materials were studied. Under simulated sunlight illumination for 60 minutes, the degradation efficiency of oxytetracycline (15 mg·L−1) reached 94.2 %. In light of density functional theory calculation and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, the attack sites and degradation pathways of OTC were determined. The consequence of free radical capture test and electron paramagnetic resonance detection showed that ·O2-, ·OH and h+ were the primary active substances. Based on the analysis above, the charge transfer principle of Z-scheme heterojunction was further elucidation. It inhibited the recombination of photo carriers and improved the photocatalytic performance. This work provides a hopeful measure for photocatalytic degradation of OTC by Z-scheme heterojunction composite.

Efficient Z scheme-type II charge transfer on the interfaces of PAN/ZnO/CdIn2S4 for the enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen generation

The CdIn2S4/xZnO (CIS/xZnO) and CdIn2S4/12.3ZnO-PANx (CIS/12.3ZnO-PANx, PAN is polyacrylonitrile) photocatalysts were prepared and their activities in photocatalytic water splitting for hydrogen production were studied. Their physicochemical properties were determined by XRD, SEM, TEM, XPS, UV–vis and PEC. The photocatalytic hydrogen evolution under the irradiation with full spectrum light was carried out to evaluate its photocatalytic activity and stability. The catalyst CIS/12.3ZnO-PAN30 exhibits the H2 production rate of 4.31 mmol g−1 h−1, ∼61.5 and 5.8 times that of PAN (0.07 mmol g−1 h−1) and CIS/12.3ZnO (0.74 mmol g−1 h−1), respectively. EPR, VB-XPS, Mott-Schottky analysis illustrate that the Z scheme-type II photo carriers transfer path is formed on the interfaces of the PAN/ZnO/CIS in the CIS/12.3ZnO-PAN30 composite, which is more favorable to the spatial separation and migration of photogenerated carriers with the light irradiation, thus significantly increasing the activity of the photocatalytic production. This work supplies a feasible method for preparation of novel ternary organic-inorganic hybrid photocatalysts.

Vertical MSM-type CsPbBr<sub>3</sub> thin film photodetectors with fast response speed and low dark current

Halide perovskites exhibit excellent electrical and optical properties and are ideal candidates for active layers in optoelectronic devices, especially in the field of high-performance photodetection, where they demonstrate a competitive advantage in terms of development prospects. Among them, the all-inorganic perovskite CsPbBr<sub>3</sub> has received widespread attention due to its better environmental stability. It is demonstrated in this work that a vertical MSM-type CsPbBr<sub>3</sub> thin-film photodetector has characteristics of fast response time and ultra-low dark current. The use of a vertical structure can reduce the transit distance of photo carriers, enabling the device to achieve a fast response time of 63 μs, which is two orders of magnitude higher than the traditional planar MSM-type photodetectors with a response time of 10 ms. Then, by spinning a charge transport layer between the p-type CsPbBr<sub>3</sub> and Ag electrodes, effective separation of photocarriers at the interface is realized and physical passivation between the perovskite and metal electrodes is also achieved. Due to the superior surface quality of the spun TiO<sub>2</sub> film compared with the NiO<sub><i>x</i></sub> film, and through Sentaurus TCAD simulations and bandgap analyses, with TiO<sub>2</sub> serving as the electron transport layer, it effectively inhibits the transmission of excess holes in p-type CsPbBr<sub>3</sub>. Consequently, the electron transport layer TiO<sub>2</sub> is more effective in reducing dark current than the hole transport layer NiO<sub><i>x</i></sub>, with a dark current magnitude of only –4.81×10<sup>–12</sup> A at a –1 V bias. Furthermore, this vertical MSM-type CsPbBr<sub>3</sub> thin-film photodetector also has a large linear dynamic range (122 dB), high detectivity (1.16×10<sup>12</sup> Jones), and good photo-stability. Through Sentaurus TCAD simulation, it is found that the charge transport layer selectively blocks carrier transmission, thereby reducing dark current. The simulation results are in good agreement with experimental data, providing theoretical guidance for a more in-depth understanding of the intrinsic physical mechanisms.

Plasmon-induced hot-electron injection effect: mechanism of performance enhancement for ZnO MSM hybrid photodetector by introducing Ag NWs and MXene

In this paper, a performance-enhanced hybrid ultraviolet metal–semiconductor–metal photodetector (UVPD) has been produced. This device incorporates a mixed photosensitive layer consisting of MXene nanoflakes that are covered on a thin film formed by Ag nanowires (NWs) wrapped in ZnO nanoparticles. This configuration, referred to as ZnO@Ag NWs/Mxene, capitalizes on the hot electrons generated by the localized surface plasmon resonance phenomenon occurring in the Ag NWs and MXene. These hot electrons possess sufficient energy to traverse the interface depletion layer and reach the ZnO layer. Therefore, the injected hot electrons serve as additional photo carriers in the ZnO layer, thereby increasing the number of photo-generated carriers and improving the carrier concentration in ZnO. The improved UVPD device exhibits an amplified photocurrent of ∼2499.35 nA at 5 V, under a light intensity of 6.52 mW cm−2 and a wavelength of 365 nm. Simultaneously, it achieves enhanced performance indices, including an On/Off ratio of ∼984.19, a responsivity (R p) of ∼66.87 mA W−1, and a detectivity (D *) of ∼1.82 × 1011 jones. These values represent a significant improvement compared to devices based solely on the ZnO configuration, with enhancements of ∼24.90, 3.93, 23.38, and 9.33 times, respectively. Based on the obtained results, it can be inferred that employing the hot electron injection effect to design and enhance the performance of optoelectronic devices based on wide band gap semiconductors is a reasonable and effective strategy.

A 250 nm high-performance AlGaN-based metal–semiconductor–metal deep ultraviolet detector

The present work reports a Al0.67Ga0.33N Metal–Semiconductor–Metal (MSM) detector with a high quantum efficiency (QE) by metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) and Standard photolithography. As previously reported, the electrode spacing between the metal fingers of MSM detectors, annealing temperature, and electrode material affect the performance of detectors. Our work demonstrates a high QE detector by optimizing the electrode and annealing temperature. At 14 V bias, the ultraviolet-to-visible rejection ratio is measured as high as 1000. It is also found that the responsivity increases with the bias voltage. Due to the influence of the image force and tunnel effect, the QE exceeds 100 % and the responsivity reaches 4.24 A/W near 250 nm. The specific detectivity (D*) also reaches 1.32 × 1011 Jones. Compared with the literature, this is the highest QE of MSM devices with Ti electrodes on the AlGaN layer at this wavelength. This gain mechanism should be related to trapping photo carriers at the semiconductor/metal interface, image-force lowering of Schottky barrier height, and the expansion of the space charge layer (SCR).

High performance and stable perovskite solar cells modified with 8-hydroxyquinoline lead

The quality of the perovskite active layer is the critical factor that affects the photovoltaic performance of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). In this paper, the 8-hydroxyquinoline lead (Pbq2) containing pyridine bonds, C–O bonds, and quinoline ring groups was introduced into the MAPbI3 perovskite layer to improve the performances and stabilities of PSCs. The doped Pbq2 could adjust the growth of perovskite crystals by coordinating interactions between the above functional groups in Pbq2 with Pb2+, MA+, and I− in perovskite together. And as a result, high-quality and dense perovskite films with larger grain sizes were obtained. At the same time, large molecule-sized Pbq2 chelated at the grain boundary of perovskite, which passivated the defects and suppressed non-radiative recombination of photo carriers and ion migration at grain boundaries. Therefore, the interface energy barrier between the perovskite layer and the electron transfer layer (ETL) was reduced by the Pbq2 doping, which accelerated the separation and transportation of carriers at the ETL/perovskite layer interface. Finally, Pbq2-modified PSCs achieved a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 20.82% with an open circuit voltage (Voc) of 1.144 V and a fill factor (FF) of 77.4% compared to a PCE of 17.87% for the reference sample. Furthermore, Pbq2-modified PSCs showed better light stability and moisture resistance in air conditions.

Optimization of a‐Si Thin‐Film Solar‐Cell Performance with Passivation and c‐Si Cap Layer

A modified design of the a‐Si thin‐film solar cell (TFSC) is presented. The c‐Si cap layer is introduced to increase the photon absorption and hence the enhanced photo carriers increase the overall short‐circuit current. Whereas, the highly doped a‐Si passivation layer reduces the minority carrier flow and recombination at the rear side of the cell, and therefore the passivation layer is used to improve the open‐circuit voltage (). The performance optimization and investigation of the cell characteristic is executed using the numerical simulation methodology. To further enhance the cell efficiency, the thickness and doping concentration of the c‐Si cap and a‐Si passivation layer are optimized. The improvement in absorption and passivation quality of the cell leads to the enhancement of in short‐circuit current density and improvement in the , respectively. The designed a‐Si TFSC absorbs the incoming solar spectrum from to of wavelength and rest of the spectrum is transmitted. The external and internal quantum efficiency of the cell is well over . The optimized efficiency of is obtained for the designed cap layered a‐Si passivated cell in AM1.5 G environment using ray‐tracing methodology.

Radiation intensity dependence of CdSe photothermal and photocarrier radiometry response evidenced by step-sine modulation method

The radiation intensity dependence of photothermal (PT) and photocarrier (PC) signals from n-type CdSe single crystals was investigated by modulated infrared radiometry (MIRR) in the mid-IR range (5–11.3 μm) with superbandgap photoexcitation. The influence of dc temperature increase of the sample was avoided by a new step-sine modulation method that combines the advantages of transient and periodical modulation. With increasing laser intensity I, the amplitude of the PC component shows a sub-linear dependence (|SPC| ∝ I0.5), while the PT one has the expected linear dependence (|SPT| ∝ I). As a result, the transition frequency ft between the two components is shifted to higher frequencies, which is explained in the frame of a simple model. The origin of the observed effects is the decrease of the effective photocarrier lifetime τ ∝ I−0.5 over three laser intensity decades. In contrast, previous studies on nonlinear PC response in semiconductors performed in the near-IR range (0.7–1.8 μm) have found supra-linear |SPC| dependence with exponent between 1 and 2. This difference is attributed to the fact that the near-IR radiometric signal features characteristics of a photoluminescence (PL) signal that are different from those of the mid-IR PC signal, as shown in our previous study [J. Appl. Phys. 119, 125108 (2016)] on the same CdSe samples.

GaAs0.95P0.05 single junction solar cell with InP QW in p-i-n region for sub-bandgap photon absorption

To improve the the absorption of the incoming light spectrum in the cell, the bandgap modulation is performed in the cell. such a cell is designed here, with the help of quantum well region of InP material and GaInP barrier region. The bandgap engineered GaAsP solar cell having the bandgap of 1.48 eV is utilized along with the InP quantum well material with bandgap energy of 1.35 eV. The quantum well absorbs the lower bandgap photon energy, which improves the photo carriers. A type-A bandgap structure is formed in the quantum well region, which results in enhanced utilization of lower bandgap photon energy. The Analysis show the significant absorption of the incoming light spectrum, which reflects in the improvement of the current density. The trade-off between the short circuit current and open circuit voltage, which happens due to the bandgap modulation, leads to the 20% drop in the open circuit voltage. But, due to larger improvement of 31.06% in the short circuit current leads to the improvement of 4.75% in overall efficiency of the cell. The quantum efficiency of the cell is well above 90%. The bandgap modulated quantum well solar cell achieves 25.76% efficiency for the formation of the p-i-n region. AM1.5 G environment under 1-Sun spectrum is used to illuminate the designed solar cell.

Anisotropic performances and bending stress effects of the flexible solar-blind photodetectors based on β-Ga2O3 (1 0 0) surface

Flexible β-gallium oxide (β-Ga2O3) crystal microstrips were fabricated by mechanical exfoliation of the bulk single crystal. The polarized Raman spectra of the β-Ga2O3 (100) surface illustrate anisotropic vibration. Flexible solar-blind photodetectors (SBPDs) based on the β-Ga2O3 strips were fabricated with channels in various orientations on (100) surface, showing clear anisotropic photoresponses. The SBPD with the channel orientation at ∼ 60° to [010] realizes the highest photocurrent with the high responsivity of 15.40 A/W, high external quantum efficiency of 7.65 × 103%, high detectivity of 9.81 × 1011 Jones, and fast response rise/decay time of 0.31/0.05 s, indicating the most effective carrier transport along this orientation. Under the bending stress, the crystal structure is distorted revealed by the X-ray diffraction, and the Raman spectroscopy results proved that the lattice vibration is modified. The photocurrent of the SBPDs with anisotropic channel orientations increases with the increased bending stress, due to the increased photo absorption and photo carrier generating caused by the stretched lattice structure. These results should give significant guidance to the construction and application of high performance electronics and photoelectronics based on β-Ga2O3 (100) surface.

Amorphous Ga2O3 Schottky photodiodes with high-responsivity and photo-to-dark current ratio

Schottky photodiodes with sputtered amorphous Ga2O3 (a-Ga2O3) and asymmetric electrodes were fabricated for the first time and achieved excellent performances under 254-nm light illumination with the superhigh responsivity of 1021.8 A W−1, high photo-to-dark current ratio of 2.3 × 106, fast rise/decay response time of 144/208 ms, high detectivity of 1.66 × 1016 Jones, and high external quantum efficiency of 5.0 × 105 %. The excellent solar-blind detection performances are suggested to be attribute to the large concentration of oxygen vacancies, the possible photo released carriers from the deep-level acceptors, and the high film uniformity, while the former two contribute to the high photo carrier concentration, and the latter one contributes to high quality Schottky contact to achieve the low dark current. A 10 × 10 array based on these a-Ga2O3 Schottky photodiodes realized the imaging of a “E” character with high contrast. The results give a feasible way to achieve large area, low cost, high contrast, and high detection sensitivity solar-blind imaging.

Synchronous enhancement of responsivity, response time and, spectral range in solution processed CdS photodetector upon modification with PEDOT:PSS

Solution processed photodetectors with high responsivities and simple fabrication schemes are high on demand for variety of emerging opto-electronic applications. However, these devices suffer from sluggish response and recovery times. In this work, we demonstrate the simultaneous enhancement of the responsivity, response time and spectral range of detection in a solution-processed device based on organic/inorganic hybrid junction. A solution-processed flexible CdS photodetector is fabricated using a facile and economical chemical bath deposition technique. The fabricated pristine-CdS device exhibits responsivity and response time of 50 mA/W and 5.4 s. The resultant device exhibits enhanced responsivity and response time of around 740 mA/W and 0.6 s, respectively, upon modification with the PEDOT:PSS conducting polymer. These values of PEDOT-modified device are one order larger than pristine-CdS detector. Further, PEDOT:PSS modification also extends the responsivity of the device from UV-Vis to NIR spectra. NIR responsivity in the hybrid device, is imputed to the photothermal property of the PEDOT:PSS layer. Thus, the overall device spectral response is accredited to the simultaneous existence of photoelectric and photo-thermal phenomena. The observed responsivity and faster response time is ascribed primarily to the built-in potential at interface of CdS-PEDOT:PSS, which not only facilitates efficient separation of photo carriers but also leads to a reduction in the recombination of excitons. Given the simple approach and excellent enhancement in the device performance, the idea demonstrated here could be useful to design high performance opto-electronic device based on solution-processed techniques.

Thickness-dependent optical response and ultrafast carrier dynamics of PtSe2 films

As a novel transition metal dichalcogenide material with high carrier mobility, adjustable band gap and excellent stability, the photocarrier ultrafast dynamics of PtSe2 films with the different thickness is researched by ultrafast transient absorption spectrum and optical pump and terahertz probe spectrum. The experimental results show that the few-layer PtSe2 films present semiconductor phase which exhibits a triple exponential decay process, while multi-layer of PtSe2 films present semi-metallic phase which exhibits a double exponential decay process. And the principle of light response and carrier dynamics of PtSe2 films after excitation is analyzed, one found that the defect state carrier recombination exists in all samples. The carrier relaxation is dominated by Auger exciton–exciton annihilation in few-layer PtSe2 film, and the defect state of multiple-layer PtSe2 film plays a dominant role in the photo carrier relaxation, which is promising to a further application in modulators and detectors for characterizing the transition from semiconductor to semi-metal by controlling its film thickness.

Activated carbon-supported AgMoOS bimetallic oxysulfide as a catalyst for the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution and pollutants reduction

Activated carbon (AC) with high porosity and surface area as a catalyst carrier can enhance the catalytic activity and stability of metal nanoparticles with well dispersion to avoid aggregation. Herein, silver molybdenum oxysulfide (AgMoOS) nanoparticles supported by activated carbon with different porous sizes were synthesized through a facile method for photocatalytic H2 evolution reaction and pollutants reduction. The highest H2 evolution of 338.9 µmol/h was obtained by microporous AC-supported AgMoOS ([email protected]) under visible-light irradiation using Na2S/Na2SO3 as a hole scavenger reagent. Likewise, 76.9% of the 4-NP reduction is achieved by in-situ generated proton within 160 min. AC could lower the recombination rate of photo carriers due to its pore channels. Under the dark condition, 10 mg [email protected] completely reduced MB, MO, RhB, 4-NP, and Cr6+ within 4, 4, 9, 9, and 12 min, respectively. This excellent catalytic activity is due to a good dispersion of AgMoOS nanoparticles on AC-1, electron hopping transport of Mo4+→ Mo6+ ions, and surface oxygen vacancy. [email protected] catalyst also exhibits good stability and efficiency that provides a practical catalytic application to reduce chemical pollutants and environmental remediation.

Rational construction of p-n-p CuO/CdS/CoWO4 S-scheme heterojunction with influential separation and directional transfer of interfacial photocarriers for boosted photocatalytic H2 evolution

In order to hydrogen evolution by water splitting, with appropriate design, the effective sites of the efficient heterostructured photocatalysts are boosted, and the directional transfer of the photo carriers is ensured. In this paper, we report the p-n-p heterostructured CuO/CdS/CoWO4 nanocomposite formed with CoWO4 deposited using microwave method on CuO/CdS prepared by combining CuO and CdS synthesized by hydrothermal method and microwave method, respectively. In the asset of an electric field formed by the S-scheme heterostructure of p-n-p CuO/CdS/CoWO4, efficient directional transfer of charge carriers is achieved and recombination of beneficial charge carriers is suppressed. The rate of hydrogen evolution is 457.9 μmol g−1 h−1 in the existence of CuO/CdS/CoWO4, which is 3.14, 11.99, 40.88 and 102.9, times as that of CuO/CdS, CdS, CuO and CoWO4, respectively. This study offers new perspectives on the preparation of p-n-p type rationally designed photocatalysts with improved photocatalytic efficiency and stability for hydrogen generation applications.

A singlet oxygen dominated process through photocatalysis of CuS-modified MIL-101(Fe) assisted by peroxymonosulfate for efficient water disinfection

Singlet oxygen (1O2) is an effective reactive oxygen species in disinfection due to its long lifetime and sensitivity to bacteria. This study tried to develop a 1O2 dominated process for bacterial inactivation by visible light (vis) photocatalysis assisted by PMS. A novel CuS-modified MIL-101(Fe) (CSMF) photocatalyst was synthesized for the first time. Compared with MIL-101(Fe), CuS-modified MIL-101(Fe) enhanced the photocatalytic performance by increasing absorption of visible light, narrowing down the bandgap and promoting photo carrier separation efficiency. 7.5-log Gram-negative Escherichia coli (E. coli) could be inactivated by Vis/CSMF/PMS system within 40 min, showing much better performance of 3.5-log E. coli inactivated by Vis/PMS system. The Vis/CSMF/PMS system is applicable in a broad pH range from 3.0 to 9.0, remaining quite steady disinfection efficiency after regenerations of the catalyst. Quenching experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis demonstrated 1O2 was the dominated ROS rather than OH• and SO4•−. Three pathways, including photo-generated electrons (e−) and O2 dependent pathway, photo-generated holes (h+) dependent pathway and CSMF enhanced PMS dissociation pathway, were evidenced to responsible for 1O2 formation by aeration experiments and specific 1O2 fluorescence probe. 1O2 in water attacked the bacterial cell membranes first, got inside the cell and up-regulated the level of intracellular ROS, which further led to cell membrane damage and DNA degradation so as to irreversible cell death. In addition, the developed Vis/CSMF/PMS system could also efficiently inactivate gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and fecal coliform bacteria in practical wastewater, suggesting its wide applicability as a promising alternative to conventional disinfection process.