Graphene/Organic Semiconductor Heterojunction Phototransistors with Broadband and Bi-directional Photoresponse

Chiral Materials for Optics and Electronics: Ready to Rise?

Chiral materials have gained burgeoning interest in optics and electronics, beyond their classical application field of drug synthesis. In this review, we summarize the diverse chiral materials developed to date and how they have been effectively applied to optics and electronics to get an understanding and vision for the further development of chiral materials for advanced optics and electronics.

Sensitive organic/inorganic polarized photodetectors enhanced by charge transfer with image sensing capacity

Organic photodetectors (OPDs) have attracted increasing attention in the future wearable sensing and real-time health monitoring, due to their intrinsic features including the mechanical flexibility, low-cost processing and cooling-free operations; while their performances are lagging as the results of inferior carrier mobility and small exciton diffusion coefficient of organic molecules. Graphene exhibits the great photoresponse with wide spectral bandwidth and high response speed. However, weak light absorption and the absence of a gain mechanism have limited its photoresponsivity. Here, we report a sensitive organic/inorganic phototransistor with fast response speed by coupling PTCDA organic single crystal with the monolayer graphene. The long range exciton diffusion in highly ordered π-conjugated molecules, efficient exciton dissociation and charge transfer at the PTCDA/graphene heterointerfaces, and the high mobility of graphene enable a high responsivity (8 × 104A/W), short response time (220 µs) and excellent specific detectivity (>1011 Jones), which is higher than the level of commercial on-chip device. This interfacial photogating effect is verified by the high-resolution spatial photocurrent mapping experiment. In addition, the high sensitivity to polarization is clear and the ultrahigh photoconductive gain enables a near-infrared (NIR) response for 980 and 1550 nm. Finally, high-speed visible and NIR imaging applications are successfully demonstrated. This work suggests that high quality organic single crystal/graphene is a promising platform for future high performance optoelectronic systems and imaging applications.

Recent progress in emerging two-dimensional organic-inorganic van der Waals heterojunctions

Two-dimensional (2D) materials have attracted significant attention in recent decades due to their exceptional optoelectronic properties. Among them, to meet the growing demand for multifunctional applications, 2D organic-inorganic van der Waals (vdW) heterojunctions have become increasingly popular in the development of optoelectronic devices. These heterojunctions demonstrate impressive capability to synergistically combine the favourable characteristics of organic and inorganic materials, thereby offering a wide range of advantages. Also, they enable the creation of innovative device structures and introduce novel functionalities in existing 2D materials, avoiding the need for lattice matching in different material systems. Presently, researchers are actively working on improving the performance of devices based on 2D organic-inorganic vdW heterojunctions by focusing on enhancing the quality of 2D materials, precise stacking methods, energy band regulation, and material selection. Therefore, this review presents a thorough examination of the emerging 2D organic-inorganic vdW heterojunctions, including their classification, fabrication, and corresponding devices. Additionally, this review offers profound and comprehensive insight into the challenges in this field to inspire future research directions. It is expected to propel researchers to harness the extraordinary capabilities of 2D organic-inorganic vdW heterojunctions for a wider range of applications by further advancing the understanding of their fundamental properties, expanding the range of available materials, and exploring novel device architectures. The ongoing research and development in this field hold potential to unlock captivating advancements and foster practical applications across diverse industries.

Recent Advances in Low-Dimensional Nanomaterials for Photodetectors

New emerging low-dimensional such as 0D, 1D, and 2D nanomaterials have attracted tremendous research interests in various fields of state-of-the-art electronics, optoelectronics, and photonic applications due to their unique structural features and associated electronic, mechanical, and optical properties as well as high-throughput fabrication for large-area and low-cost production and integration. Particularly, photodetectors which transform light to electrical signals are one of the key components in modern optical communication and developed imaging technologies for whole application spectrum in the daily lives, including X-rays and ultraviolet biomedical imaging, visible light camera, and infrared night vision and spectroscopy. Today, diverse photodetector technologies are growing in terms of functionality and performance beyond the conventional silicon semiconductor, and low-dimensional nanomaterials have been demonstrated as promising potential platforms. In this review, the current states of progress on the development of these nanomaterials and their applications in the field of photodetectors are summarized. From the elemental combination for material design and lattice structure to the essential investigations of hybrid device architectures, various devices and recent developments including wearable photodetectors and neuromorphic applications are fully introduced. Finally, the future perspectives and challenges of the low-dimensional nanomaterials based photodetectors are also discussed.

Manipulating Surface Band Bending of III-Nitride Nanowires with Ambipolar Charge-Transfer Characteristics: A Pathway Toward Advanced Photoswitching Logic Gates and Encrypted Optical Communication

The operational principle of semiconductor devices critically relies on the band structures that ultimately govern their charge-transfer characteristics. Indeed, the precise orchestration of band structure within semiconductor devices, notably at the semiconductor surface and corresponding interface, continues to pose a perennial conundrum. Herein, for the first time, this work reports a novel postepitaxy method: thickness-tunable carbon layer decoration to continuously manipulate the surface band bending of III-nitride semiconductors. Specifically, the surface band bending of p-type aluminum-gallium-nitride (p-AlGaN) nanowires grown on n-Si can be precisely controlled by depositing different carbon layers as guided by theoretical calculations, which eventually regulate the ambipolar charge-transfer behavior between the p-AlGaN/electrolyte and p-AlGaN/n-Si interface in an electrolyte environment. Enabled by the accurate modulation of the thickness of carbon layers, a spectrally distinctive bipolar photoresponse with a controllable polarity-switching-point over a wide spectrum range can be achieved, further demonstrating reprogrammable photoswitching logic gates "XOR", "NAND", "OR", and "NOT" in a single device. Finally, this work constructs a secured image transmission system where the optical signals are encrypted through the "XOR" logic operations. The proposed continuous surface band tuning strategy provides an effective avenue for the development of multifunctional integrated-photonics systems implemented with nanophotonics.

Atomically well-defined nitrogen doping for cross-plane transport through graphene heterojunctions

The nitrogen doping of graphene leads to graphene heterojunctions with a tunable bandgap, suitable for electronic, electrochemical, and sensing applications. However, the microscopic nature and charge transport properties of atomic-level nitrogen-doped graphene are still unknown, mainly due to the multiple doping sites with topological diversities. In this work, we fabricated atomically well-defined N-doped graphene heterojunctions and investigated the cross-plane transport through these heterojunctions to reveal the effects of doping on their electronic properties. We found that a different doping number of nitrogen atoms leads to a conductance difference of up to ∼288%, and the conductance of graphene heterojunctions with nitrogen-doping at different positions in the conjugated framework can also lead to a conductance difference of ∼170%. Combined ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy measurements and theoretical calculations reveal that the insertion of nitrogen atoms into the conjugation framework significantly stabilizes the frontier molecular orbitals, leading to a change in the relative positions of the HOMO and LUMO to the Fermi level of the electrodes. Our work provides a unique insight into the role of nitrogen doping in the charge transport through graphene heterojunctions and materials at the single atomic level.

Light-Induced Bipolar Photoresponse with Amplified Photocurrents in an Electrolyte-Assisted Bipolar p-n Junction

The p-n junction with bipolar characteristics sets the fundamental unit to build electronics while its unique rectification behavior constrains the degree of carrier tunability for expanded functionalities. Herein, a bipolar-junction photoelectrode employed with a gallium nitride (GaN) p-n homojunction nanowire array that operates in electrolyte is reported, demonstrating bipolar photoresponse controlled by different wavelengths of light. Significantly, with rational decoration of a ruthenium oxides (RuO_x ) layer on nanowires guided by theoretical modeling, the resulting RuO_x /p-n GaN photoelectrode exhibits unambiguously boosted bipolar photoresponse by an enhancement of 775% and 3000% for positive and negative photocurrents, respectively, compared to the pristine nanowires. The loading of the RuO_x layer on nanowire surface optimizes surface band bending, which facilitates charge transfer across the GaN/electrolyte interface, meanwhile promoting the efficiency of redox reaction for both hydrogen evolution reaction and oxygen evolution reaction which corresponds to the negative and positive photocurrents, respectively. Finally, a dual-channel optical communication system incorporated with such photoelectrode is constructed with using only one photoelectrode to decode dual-band signals with encrypted property. The proposed bipolar device architecture presents a viable route to manipulate the carrier dynamics for the development of a plethora of multifunctional optoelectronic devices for future sensing, communication, and imaging systems.

Photogating Effect-Driven Photodetectors and Their Emerging Applications

Rather than generating a photocurrent through photo-excited carriers by the photoelectric effect, the photogating effect enables us to detect sub-bandgap rays. The photogating effect is caused by trapped photo-induced charges that modulate the potential energy of the semiconductor/dielectric interface, where these trapped charges contribute an additional electrical gating-field, resulting in a shift in the threshold voltage. This approach clearly separates the drain current in dark versus bright exposures. In this review, we discuss the photogating effect-driven photodetectors with respect to emerging optoelectrical materials, device structures, and mechanisms. Representative examples that reported the photogating effect-based sub-bandgap photodetection are revisited. Furthermore, emerging applications using these photogating effects are highlighted. The potential and challenging aspects of next-generation photodetector devices are presented with an emphasis on the photogating effect.

New Approach to Low-Power-Consumption, High-Performance Photodetectors Enabled by Nanowire Source-Gated Transistors

Power consumption makes next-generation large-scale photodetection challenging. In this work, the source-gated transistor (SGT) is adopted first as a photodetector, demonstrating the expected low power consumption and high photodetection performance. The SGT is constructed by the functional sulfur-rich shelled GeS nanowire (NW) and low-function metal, displaying a low saturated voltage of 0.61 V ± 0.29 V and an extremely low power consumption of 7.06 pW. When the as-constructed NW SGT is used as a photodetector, the maximum value of the power consumption is as low as 11.96 nW, which is far below that of the reported phototransistors working in the saturated region. Furthermore, benefiting from the adopted SGT device, the photodetector shows a high photovoltage of 6.6 × 10^-1 V, a responsivity of 7.86 × 10¹² V W^-1, and a detectivity of 5.87 × 10¹³ Jones. Obviously, the low power consumption and excellent responsivity and detectivity enabled by NW SGT promise a new approach to next-generation, high-performance photodetection technology.

Ultrafast and Sensitive Self-Powered Photodetector Based on Graphene/Pentacene Single Crystal Heterostructure with Weak Light Detection Capacity

Organic materials exhibit efficient light absorption and low-temperature, large-scale processability, and have stimulated enormous research efforts for next-generation optoelectronics. While, high-performance organic devices with fast speed and high responsivity still face intractable challenges, due to their intrinsic limitations including finite carrier mobility and high exciton binding energy. Here an ultrafast and highly sensitive broadband phototransistor is demonstrated by integrating high-quality pentacene single crystal with monolayer graphene. Encouragingly, the -3 dB bandwidth can reach up to 26 kHz, which is a record-speed for such sensitized organic phototransistors. Enormous absorption, long exciton diffusion length of pentacene crystal, and efficient interfacial charge transfer enable a high responsivity of >10⁵  A W^-1  and specific detectivity of >10¹¹  Jones. Moreover, self-powered weak-light detection is realized using a simple asymmetric configuration, and the obvious zero-bias photoresponses can be displayed even under 750 nW cm^-2  light intensity. Excellent response speed and photoresponsivity enable high-speed image sensor capability in UV-Vis ranges.  The results offer a practical strategy for constructing high-performance self-powered organic hybrid photodetectors, with strong applicability in wireless, weak-light detection, and video-frame-rate imaging applications.

Photodetection and Infrared Imaging Based on Cd3As2 Epitaxial Vertical Heterostructures

Due to the nontrivial electronic structure, Cd₃As₂ is predicted to possess various transport properties and outstanding photoresponses. Photodetectors based on topological materials are mostly made up of nanoplates, yet monolithic in situ heteroepitaxial Cd₃As₂ photodetectors are rarely reported to date owing to the crystal mismatch between Cd₃As₂ and semiconductors. Here, we demonstrate Cd₃As₂/Zn_xCd_1-xTe/GaSb vertical heteroepitaxial photodetectors via molecule beam epitaxy. By constructing dual-Schottky junctions, these photodetectors show high responsivity and external quantum efficiency in a broadband spectrum. Based on the strong and fast photoresponse, we achieved visible light to near-infrared imaging using a one-pixel imaging system with a galvo. Our results illustrate that the integration of three-dimensional Dirac semimetal Cd₃As₂ with semiconductors has potential applications in broadband photodetection and infrared cameras.

Optically Programmable Circularly Polarized Photodetector

The detection of circularly polarized light (CPL) has aroused wide attention from both the scientific and industrial communities. However, from the optical activity of the chiral layer in the conventional CPL photodetectors, the sign inversion property is difficult to be achieved. As a result, great challenges arise during the preparation of miniaturized and integrated devices for tunable CPL detection applications. Along these lines, in this work, by taking advantage of the CPL-induced chirality characteristics of the achiral poly(9,9-di-n-hexylfluorene-alt-benzothiadiazole) (F6BT) and the good crystalline and electrical properties of the poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) film, an optically programmable CPL photodetector was fabricated. Interestingly, the device exhibited excellent discrimination between left- and right-handed CPL, while the maximum anisotropy factor of responsivity was 0.425. On top of that, the rigorously controlled chirality of the F6BT and the capability to be switched by the handedness of CPL was leveraged to realize the switchable detection of both L-CPL and R-CPL. Furthermore, a CPL photodetector array was fabricated, and the image processing and cryptographic characteristics were demonstrated. The proposed device configuration can find application in various scientific fields, including photonics, emission, conversion, or sensing with CPL but also is anticipated to play a key role for imaging and anticounterfeiting applications.

Enhancing and Broadening the Photoresponse of Monolayer MoS2 Based on Au Nanoslit Array

Two-dimensional molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂), featuring unique optoelectronic properties, has attracted tremendous interest in developing novel photodetection devices. However, the limited light absorption and small carrier transport rate of the monolayer MoS₂ result in low photoresponse, and the large band gap limits its detection range in the visible region. In this study, we propose a nanoslit array-MoS₂ hybrid device architecture with enhanced and broadened photoresponse. The nanoslit array can localize free-space light to achieve strong interactions with MoS₂, and acts as the channel to improve charge transport. As a result, the Au nanoslit array-MoS₂ hybrid detector exhibits a nearly 100-fold increase in photocurrent compared to the pure MoS₂ device. More importantly, the hybrid device can broaden the photoresponse to the optical communication band of 1550 nm which is lower than the band gap of MoS₂, by efficiently utilizing the hot carriers generated by the Au nanoslits. The experimental results are supported by both theoretical analysis and numerical simulation. Since our demonstration leverages the engineering of the hybrid photodetectors with metal nanostructures rather than semiconductor materials, it should be universal and applicable to other devices for broadband, high-efficiency photoelectric conversion.

Negative Phototransistors with Ultrahigh Sensitivity and Weak-Light Detection Based on 1D/2D Molecular Crystal p-n Heterojunctions and their Application in Light Encoders

Anomalous negative phototransistors in which the channel current decreases under light illumination hold potential to generate novel and multifunctional optoelectronic applications. Although a variety of design strategies have been developed to construct such devices, NPTs still suffer from far lower device performance compared to well-developed positive phototransistors (PPTs). In this work, a novel 1D/2D molecular crystal p-n heterojunction, in which p-type 1D molecular crystal (1DMC) arrays are embedded into n-type 2D molecular crystals (2DMCs), is developed to produce ultrasensitive NPTs. The p-type 1DMC arrays act as light-absorbing layers to induce p-doping of n-type 2DMCs through charge transfer under illumination, resulting in ineffective gate control and significant negative photoresponses. As a result, the NPTs show remarkable performances in photoresponsivity (P) (1.9 × 10⁸ ) and detectivity (D*) (1.7 × 10¹⁷ Jones), greatly outperforming previously reported NPTs, which are one of the highest values among all organic phototransistors. Moreover, the device exhibits intriguing characteristics undiscovered in PPTs, including precise control of the threshold voltage by controlling light signals and ultrasensitive detection of weak light. As a proof-of-concept, the NTPs are demonstrated as light encoders that can encrypt electrical signals by light. These findings represent a milestone for negative phototransistors, and pave the way for the development of future novel optoelectronic applications.

Diffusion interface layer controlling the acceptor phase of bilayer near-infrared polymer phototransistors with ultrahigh photosensitivity

The narrow bandgap of near-infrared (NIR) polymers is a major barrier to improving the performance of NIR phototransistors. The existing technique for overcoming this barrier is to construct a bilayer device (channel layer/bulk heterojunction (BHJ) layer). However, acceptor phases of the BHJ dissolve into the channel layer and are randomly distributed by the spin-coating method, resulting in turn-on voltages (V_o) and off-state dark currents remaining at a high level. In this work, a diffusion interface layer is formed between the channel layer and BHJ layer after treating the film transfer method (FTM)-based NIR phototransistors with solvent vapor annealing (SVA). The newly formed diffusion interface layer makes it possible to control the acceptor phase distribution. The performance of the FTM-based device improves after SVA. V_o decreases from 26 V to zero, and the dark currents decrease by one order of magnitude. The photosensitivity (I_ph/I_dark) increases from 22 to 1.7 × 10⁷.

Engineering sensitivity and spectral range of photodetection in van der Waals materials and hybrids

Exploration of van der Waals heterostructures in the field of optoelectronics has produced photodetectors with very high bandwidth as well as ultra-high sensitivity. Appropriate engineering of these heterostructures allows us to exploit multiple light-to-electricity conversion mechanisms, ranging from photovoltaic, photoconductive to photogating processes. These mechanisms manifest in different sensitivity and speed of photoresponse. In addition, integrating graphene-based hybrid structures with photonic platforms provides a high gain-bandwidth product, with bandwidths ≫1 GHz. In this review, we discuss the progression in the field of photodetection in 2D hybrids. We emphasize the physical mechanisms at play in diverse architectures and discuss the origin of enhanced photoresponse in hybrids. Recent developments in 2D photodetectors based on room temperature detection, photon-counting ability, integration with Si and other pressing issues, that need to be addressed for these materials to be integrated with industrial standards have been discussed.

Circularly Polarized Photodetectors Based on Chiral Materials: A Review

Circularly polarized light (CPL) plays an important role in many photonic techniques, including tomographic scanning based on circular polarization ellipsometry, optical communication and information of spin, and quantum-based optical calculation and information processing. To fully exploit the functions of CPL in these fields, integrated photoelectric sensors capable of detecting CPL are essential. Photodetectors based on chiral materials can directly detect CPL due to their intrinsic optical activity, without the need to be coupled with polarizers and quarter-wave plates as in conventional photodetectors. This review summarizes the recent research progress in CPL photodetectors based on chiral materials. We first briefly introduce the CPL photodetectors based on different types of chiral materials and their working principles. Finally, current challenges and future opportunities in the development of CPL photodetectors are prospected.

CsPbX3 -ITO (X = Cl, Br, I) Nano-Heterojunctions: Voltage Tuned Positive to Negative Photoresponse

All-Inorganic perovskite CsPbX₃ (X = Cl, Br, I) quantum dots (QDs) have attracted tremendous attention in the past few years for their appealing performance in optoelectronic applications. Major properties of CsPbX₃ QDs include the positive photoconductivity (PPC) and the defect tolerance of the in-band trap states. Here it is reported that when hybridizing CsPbX₃ QDs with indium tin oxide (ITO) nanocrystals to form CsPbX₃ -ITO nano-heterojunctions (NHJs), a voltage tuned photoresponse-from PPC to negative photoconductivity (NPC) transform-is achieved in lateral drain-source structured ITO/CsPbX₃ -ITO-NHJs/ITO devices. A model combining exciton, charge separation, transport, and most critical the voltage driven electron filling of the in-band trap states with drain-source voltage (V_DS ) above a threshold, is proposed to understand this unusual PPC-NPC transform mechanism, which is different from that of any known nanomaterial system. This finding exhibits potentials for developing devices such as photodetectors, optoelectronic switches, and memories.

Light-modulated vertical heterojunction phototransistors with distinct logical photocurrents

The intriguing carrier dynamics in graphene heterojunctions have stimulated great interest in modulating the optoelectronic features to realize high-performance photodetectors. However, for most phototransistors, the photoresponse characteristics are modulated with an electrical gate or a static field. In this paper, we demonstrate a graphene/C60/pentacene vertical phototransistor to tune both the photoresponse time and photocurrent based on light modulation. By exploiting the power-dependent multiple states of the photocurrent, remarkable logical photocurrent switching under infrared light modulation occurs in a thick C60 layer (11 nm) device, which implies competition of the photogenerated carriers between graphene/C60 and C60/pentacene. Meanwhile, we observe a complete positive-negative alternating process under continuous 405 nm irradiation. Furthermore, infrared light modulation of a thin C60 (5 nm) device results in a photoresponsivity improvement from 3425 A/W up to 7673 A/W, and we clearly probe the primary reason for the distinct modulation results between the 5 and 11 nm C60 devices. In addition, the tuneable bandwidth of the infrared response from 10 to 3 × 103 Hz under visible light modulation is explored. Such distinct types of optical modulation phenomena and logical photocurrent inversion characteristics pave the way for future tuneable logical photocurrent switching devices and high-performance phototransistors with vertical graphene heterojunction structures.

Broadband InSb/Si heterojunction photodetector with graphene transparent electrode

Silicon-based Schottky heterojunction photodetectors are promising due to their compatibility with the semiconductor process. However, the applications of these devices are usually limited to wavelengths shorter than 1.1 µm due to the low absorption of electrode materials at infrared. In this report, silicon-based compound semiconductor heterojunction photodetectors with graphene transparent electrodes are fabricated. Due to the high absorption of InSb at infrared, as well as the good transparency and excellent electrical conductivity of the graphene, the as-prepared photodetectors show a broadband photoresponse with high performance which includes a specific detectivity of 1.9 [Formula: see text]10¹² cm Hz^1/2 W^-1, responsivity of 132 mA W^-1, on/off ratio of 1 [Formula: see text]10⁵, rise time of 2 µs, 3 dB cut-off frequency of 172 kHz, and response wavelengths covering 635 nm, 1.55 µm and 2.7 µm. This report proves that graphene as a transparent electrode has a great effect on the performance improvement of silicon-based compound semiconductor heterojunction photodetectors.

Graphene Hybrid Structures for Integrated and Flexible Optoelectronics

Graphene (Gr) has many unique properties including gapless band structure, ultrafast carrier dynamics, high carrier mobility, and flexibility, making it appealing for ultrafast, broadband, and flexible optoelectronics. To overcome its intrinsic limit of low absorption, hybrid structures are exploited to improve the device performance. Particularly, van der Waals heterostructures with different photosensitive materials and photonic structures are very effective for improving photodetection and modulation efficiency. With such hybrid structures, Gr hybrid photodetectors can operate from ultraviolet to terahertz, with significantly improved R (up to 10⁹ A W^-1 ) and bandwidth (up to 128 GHz). Furthermore, integration of Gr with silicon (Si) complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) circuits, the human body, and soft tissues is successfully demonstrated, opening promising opportunities for wearable sensors and biomedical electronics. Here, the recent progress in using Gr hybrid structures toward high-performance photodetectors and integrated optoelectronic applications is reviewed.

Unsymmetrical Small Molecules for Broad-Band Photoresponse and Efficient Charge Transport in Organic Phototransistors

Organic photosensitizers have been investigated as effective light-sensing elements that can promote strong absorption with high field-effect mobility in organic phototransistors (OPTs). In this study, a novel organic photosensitizer is synthesized to demonstrate broad-band photoresponse with enhanced electrical performance. An unsymmetrical small molecule of a solubilizing donor (D_sol)-acceptor (A)-dye donor (D_dye) type connected with a twisted conjugation system is designed for broad-band detection (ranging from 250 to 700 nm). This molecule has high solubility, thereby facilitating the formation of uniformly dispersed nanoparticles in an insulating polymer matrix, which is deposited on top of OPT semiconductors by a simple solution process. The broad-band photodetection shown by the organic photosensitizer is realized with improved mobility close to an order of magnitude and high on/off current ratio (∼10⁵) of the organic semiconductor. Furthermore, p-type charge transport behavior in the channel of the OPT is enhanced through the intrinsic electron-accepting ability of the organic photosensitizer caused by the unique molecular configuration. These structural properties of organic photosensitizers contribute to an improvement in broad-band photosensing systems with new optoelectronic properties and functionalities.

Gate stimulated high-performance MoS2-In(OH) x Se phototransistor

Two-dimensional (2D) materials such as graphene and MoS₂ have shown great potential in photodetection platforms. Photoresponsivity and photoresponse speed are two important parameters illustrating photodetector performances. Although various hybrid structures have been designed, the trade-off between photoresponsivity and photoresponse speed has not been well balanced. In this work, MoS₂ film and In(OH) _x Se nanoparticles are combined together to form the hybrid phototransistor. Utilizing both the photoconducting and photogating effects, the photoresponsivity increases about one order of magnitude with a value of 10² A W^-1. The ratio of photocurrent and dark current increases to a value of 10⁴. Considering the slow photo recovery speed, a 2 ms gate voltage pulse is applied after turning off the light, which results in a complete recovery of current. The photoconducting effect, photogating effect and gate voltage stimulation simultaneously promote the superior comprehensive photoresponse performances. This method can be further explored and utilized for realizing high performance photodetectors.

Enhancement of Charge Transport in Polythiophene Semiconducting Polymer by Blending with Graphene Nanoparticles

This paper describes a study on the charge transport in a composite of liquid-exfoliated graphene nanoparticles (GNPs) and a polythiophene semiconducting polymer. While the former component is highly conducting, although it consists of isolated nanostructures, the latter offers an efficient charge transport path between the individual GNPs within the film, overall yielding enhanced charge transport properties of the resulting bi-component system. The electrical characteristics of the composite layers were investigated by means of measurements of time-of-flight photoconductivity and transconductance in field-effect transistors. In order to analyze both phenomena separately, charge density and charge mobility contributions to the conductivity were singled out. With the increasing GNP concentration, the charge mobility was found to increase, thereby reducing the time spent by the carriers on the polymer chains. In addition, for GNP loading above 0.2 % (wt.), an increase of free charge density was observed that highlights an additional key role played by doping. Variable-range hopping model of a mixed two- and three-dimensional transport is explained using temperature dependence of mobility and free charge density. The temperature variation of free charge density was related to the electron transfer from polythiophene to GNP, with an energy barrier of 24 meV.

Strong dependence of the vertical charge carrier mobility on the π-π stacking distance in molecule/graphene heterojunctions

Due to mechanical flexibility and low cost, heterojunctions consisting of graphene and small organic molecules are regarded as promising candidate materials for vertical organic field-effect transistors (VOFETs), where the charge carrier mobility perpendicular to the graphene plane is crucial to their performance. Herein, through density functional simulations, we find that the vertical charge carrier mobility of the heterojunctions can be greatly adjusted by tuning their π-π stacking distances. For the 6,13-dichloropentacene (DCP)/graphene heterojunctions, with the distance between the first DCP layer and graphene decreasing to below 2.4 Å, the vertical electron mobility between DCP layers is improved dramatically while the vertical hole mobility is greatly reduced. The strong dependence of vertical charge carrier mobility on the distance between the first molecular layer and substrate for smaller values than the typical π-π stacking distance (3.3-3.8 Å) was also observed in the perylenetetracarboxylic dianhydride (PTCDA)/graphene and DCP/hexagonal-BN heterojunctions, where the tendency is very different to that of the DCP/graphene heterojunction. Our simulation results enabled us to develop a new strategy to tune the vertical charge transport properties in molecule/graphene heterojunctions, which provides insights into developing efficient VOFETs.

Polarimetric Three-Dimensional Topological Insulators/Organics Thin Film Heterojunction Photodetectors

As a state of quantum matter with insulating bulk and gapless surface states, topological insulators (TIs) have huge potential in optoelectronic devices. On the other hand, polarization resolution photoelectric devices based on anisotropic materials have overwhelming advantages in practical applications. In this work, the 3D TIs Bi₂Te₃/organics thin film heterojunction polarimetric photodetectors with high anisotropic mobility ratio, fast response time, high responsivity, and EQE in broadband spectra are presented. At first, the maximum anisotropic mobility ratio of the Bi₂Te₃/organics thin film can reach 2.56, which proves that Bi₂Te₃ can serve as a sensitive material for manufacturing polarization photoelectric devices. Moreover, it is found that the device can exhibit a broad bandwidth and ultrahigh response photocurrent from visible to middle wave infrared spectra (405-3500 nm). The highest responsivity (R_i) of optimized devices can reach up to 23.54 AW^-1; surprisingly, the R_i of the device can still reach 1.93 AW^-1 at 3500 nm. In addition, the ultrahigh external quantum efficiency is 4534% with a fast response time (1.42 ms). Excellent properties mentioned above indicate that TIs/organics heterojunction devices are suitable for manufacturing high-performance photoelectric devices in infrared region.

Sensitive Deep Ultraviolet Photodetector and Image Sensor Composed of Inorganic Lead-Free Cs3Cu2I5 Perovskite with Wide Bandgap

In this work, a sensitive deep ultraviolet (DUV) light photodetector based on inorganic and lead-free Cs₃Cu₂I₅ crystalline film derived by a solution method was reported. Optoelectronic characterization revealed that the perovskite device exhibited nearly no sensitivity to visible illumination with wavelength of 405 nm but exhibited pronounced sensitivity to both DUV and UV light illumination with response speeds of 26.2/49.9 ms for rise/fall time. The I_light/I_dark ratio could reach 127. What is more, the responsivity and specific detectivity were calculated to be 64.9 mA W^-1 and 6.9 × 10¹¹ Jones, respectively. In addition, the device could keep its photoresponsivity after storage in air environment for a month. It is also found that the capability of Cs₃Cu₂I₅ crystalline film device can readily record still DUV image with acceptable resolution. The above results confirm that the DUV photodetector may hold great potential for future DUV optoelectronic device and systems.

Ultraviolet to Long-Wave Infrared Photodetectors Based on a Three-Dimensional Dirac Semimetal/Organic Thin Film Heterojunction

In this work, high-performance ultraviolet to long-wave infrared (UV-LIR) devices based on an N-type three-dimensional (3D) Dirac semimetal Cd₃As₂ and P-type organic (small molecules and polymers) heterojunction are prepared. Primarily, the photodetector shows a broadband photoresponse from 365 to 10600 nm. The optimized device responsivity is 729 mA/W, along with a fast response time of 282 μs and a high on-off ratio of 6268, which are 2 orders of magnitude higher than those previously reported for a 3D Dirac semimetal-based device. In the LIR region (10600 nm), the responsivity and on-off ratio can reach 81.3 mA/W and 100, respectively. In addition, the time-resolved femtosecond pump detection technology is used to reveal the relaxation time of Cd₃As₂/organic thin films (4.30 ps), indicating that Cd₃As₂/organic thin films have great potential for the manufacture of fast IR devices. These results demonstrate that the 3D Dirac semimetal/organic thin film heterojunction photodetectors will be a feasible solution for high-speed and broadband photodetectors in large-array imaging.

High-Performance Low-Voltage Flexible Photodetector Arrays Based on All-Solid-State Organic Electrochemical Transistors for Photosensing and Imaging

The identifying characteristic of an organic electrochemical transistor (OECT) is the coupling between ionic and electronic charges within the entire volume of the channel. In this work, by taking advantage of the volumetric nature of the OECTs' response, a novel flexible photodetector is reported for the first time based on all-solid-state OECT with an excellent responsivity of up to 6.7 × 10⁶ A/W, detectivity as high as 3.6 × 10¹³ Jones, and a fast response of ∼0.13 s in the visible range, which are superior to those of the majority of the reported organic phototransistors (OPTs) based on field-effect transistors (FETs) and even better than those of FET-based phototransistors with two-dimensional (MoS₂ and graphene) and perovskite materials. The high performance of the devices was ascribed to the combination of the higher carrier mobility of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) doped with poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) as a channel and the volumetric nature of the OECTs' response, and the charge density of the volumetric channel was efficiently modulated by incident light compared to FETs. Moreover, OECT-based OPTs with quantum dots (CdSe/ZnS) as a light sensitizer were characterized under ultraviolet light, and they exhibited excellent photosensitivity, which further verified the superiority of OECT for phototransistors. Furthermore, a flexible image sensor was fabricated for the first time by integrating flexible OECTs-OPTs into a 10 × 10 array, which can clearly identify the target image under a bending state, indicating the great potential of OECTs-OPTs in the application of low-power, ultrasensitive flexible photodetectors and imaging technology.

Three-Dimensional Topological Insulator Bi2Te3/Organic Thin Film Heterojunction Photodetector with Fast and Wideband Response from 450 to 3500 Nanometers

In the pursuit of broadband photodetection materials from visible to mid-IR region, the fresh three-dimensional topological insulators (3D TIs) are theoretically predicted to be a promising candidate due to its Dirac-like stable surface state and high absorption rate. In this work, a self-powered inorganic/organic heterojunction photodetector based on n-type 3D TIs Bi₂Te₃ combined with p-type pentacene thin film was designed and fabricated. Surprisingly, it was found that the Bi₂Te₃/pentacene heterojunction photodetector exhibited a fast and wideband response from 450 to 3500 nm. The optimized responsivity of photodetector reached 14.89 A/W, along with the fast response time of 1.89 ms and the ultrahigh external quantum efficiency of 2840%. Moreover, at the mid-IR 3500 nm, our devices demonstrated a responsivity of 1.55 AW^-1, which was several orders of magnitude higher than that of previous 3D TIs photodetector. These excellent properties indicate that the inorganic/organic heterojunction, that is, the combination of 3D TIs with organic materials, is an exciting structure for high performance photodetectors in the wideband detection region. On account of the fact that the device is constructed on mica substrate, this work also represents a potential scenario for flexible optoelectronic devices.

Synergistic additive-mediated CVD growth and chemical modification of 2D materials

This review summarizes significant advances in the use of typical synergistic additives in growth of 2D materials with chemical vapor deposition, and the corresponding performance improvement of field effect transistors and photodetectors.