Seamless lateral graphene p-n junctions formed by selective in situ doping for high-performance photodetectors

Nanoresonance Cavity and Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance Enhanced Broad-Spectral Photodetector for Versatile Applications

To overcome the limitations inherent in traditional silicon (Si)-based photodetectors, particularly the low light absorption and complex carrier dynamics, this study proposes and fabricates in situ three-dimensional (3D) graphene/Si Schottky junctions integrated with WS2 quantum dots (QDs). The introduction of WS2 QDs enables the heterojunction to realize "double-enhanced absorption" by the synergistic effect of the natural nanoresonant cavity effect and the surface plasmon resonance effect (LSPR) of the WS2 QDs. Photodetectors constructed from the WS2 QDs/3D-graphene/Si heterojunction demonstrate a broadband, self-powered response from 440 to 1850 nm, maintaining stable operation at 1550 nm for 4 months. They exhibit high-frequency modulation (2 kHz), a responsivity of up to 83 A/W, a specific detectivity of 5.6 × 1011 Jones, rapid response/recovery times of 139 μs/145 μs with multifunctionality in image acquisition, information encryption, and logic operations. This research lays the foundation for high-performance, stable photodetectors and light-controlled logic circuits in communications and imaging.

Broadband Graphene-PbS Heterostructure Photodetector with High Responsivity

Graphene-based photodetectors exhibit relatively low spectral absorption and rapid recombination of photogenerated carriers, which can limit their response performance. On the other hand, nanostructured lead sulfide (PbS) demonstrates a wide spectral absorption range from visible to near-infrared light. High-quality and evenly distributed PbS nanofilms were synthesized by chemical bath deposition and were applied to a graphene-PbS heterostructure photodetector. The heterostructure creates an inherent electric field that extends the lifetime of photogenerated carriers, leading to enhanced device response. We achieved a high-responsivity graphene-PbS photodetector by combining the high carrier mobility of graphene and the strong infrared absorption of PbS. The photodetector exhibits a responsivity of 72 A/W at 792 nm and 5.8 A/W at 1550 nm, with a response time of less than 20 ms. The optimized device features a broad spectral response ranging from 265 nm to 2200 nm.

Local Strain Engineering of Two-Dimensional Transition Metal Dichalcogenides Towards Quantum Emitters

Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (2D TMDCs) have received considerable attention in local strain engineering due to their extraordinary mechanical flexibility, electonic structure, and optical properties. The strain-induced out-of-plane deformations in 2D TMDCs lead to diverse excitonic behaviors and versatile modulations in optical properties, paving the way for the development of advanced quantum technologies, flexible optoelectronic materials, and straintronic devices. Research on local strain engineering on 2D TMDCs has been delved into fabrication techniques, electronic state variations, and quantum optical applications. This review begins by summarizing the state-of-the-art methods for introducing local strain into 2D TMDCs, followed by an exploration of the impact of local strain engineering on optical properties. The intriguing phenomena resulting from local strain, such as exciton funnelling and anti-funnelling, are also discussed. We then shift the focus to the application of locally strained 2D TMDCs as quantum emitters, with various strategies outlined for modulating the properties of TMDC-based quantum emitters. Finally, we discuss the remaining questions in this field and provide an outlook on the future of local strain engineering on 2D TMDCs.

Nano-seeding catalysts for high-density arrays of horizontally aligned carbon nanotubes with wafer-scale uniformity

In the realm of modern materials science, horizontally aligned carbon nanotube arrays stand as promising materials for the development of next-generation integrated circuits. However, their large-scale integration has been impeded by the constraints of current fabrication techniques, which struggle to achieve the necessary uniformity, density, and size control of carbon nanotube arrays. Overcoming this challenge necessitates a significant shift in fabrication approaches. Herein, we present a nano-seeding method that revolutionized the preparation of catalyst nanoparticles, crucial for carbon-nanotube-array synthesis. Our approach, underpinned by ion implantation and substrate processing, allows for precise control over catalyst formation. Further development of a vertical spraying chemical vapor deposition system homogenizes the gas flow and ensures the uniform growth of carbon nanotube arrays. This nano-seeding method culminates in the direct growth of one-inch carbon-nanotube-array wafers with the highest density of 140 tubes μm-1. The high density and uniformity of the as-prepared carbon-nanotube-array wafers are validated through an advanced high-throughput characterization technique. The electrical properties of high on-state current, high on/off ratio and low subthreshold swing are demonstrated in field-effect transistors based on the arrays. This study propels the scalability of carbon-nanotube-array fabrication for future carbon-based electronics.

Controllable Synthesis of WSe2-WS2 Lateral Heterostructures via Atomic Substitution

The atomic substitution in two-dimensional (2D) materials is propitious to achieving compositionally engineered semiconductor heterostructures. However, elucidating the mechanism and developing methods to synthesize 2D heterostructures with atomic-scale precision are crucial. Here, we demonstrate the synthesis of monolayer WSe2-WS2 heterostructures with a relatively sharp interface from monolayer WSe2 using a chalcogen atom-exchange synthesis route at high temperatures for short periods. The substitution was initiated at the edges of monolayer WSe2 and the lateral diffuse along the heterointerface, and the reaction can be controlled by the precise reaction time and temperature. The lateral heterostructure and substitution process are studied by Raman and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopies, electron microscopy, and device characterization, revealing a possible mechanism of strain-induced transformation. Our findings demonstrate a highly controllable synthesis of 2D layered materials through atom substitutional chemistry and provide a simple route to control the atomic structure.

Nonlinear electronic devices on single-layer CVD graphene for thermistors

In this article, we present simple, cost-effective, passive (non-gated) electronic devices based on single-layer (SL) chemical vapor deposited (CVD) graphene that show nonlinear and asymmetric current-voltage characteristics (CVCs) at ambient temperatures. Al2O3-Ti-Au contacts to graphene results in a nonlinear resistance to achieve nonlinearity in the CVC. Upon transfer to polyethylene terephthalate, the CVD-grown SL graphene shows mobility of 6200 cm2V-1S-1. We have observed both thermoelectric effect and thermoresistive sensing in the fabricated devices such as voltage and temperature concerning change in electronic power and resistance through asymmetric and nonlinear CVC. The device is stable both at low and high voltages (±200 mV to ±4 V) and temperatures (4 K - 300 K). Graphene-based thermosensing devices can be ultra-thin, cost-effective, non-toxic/organic, flexible, and high-speed for integration into future complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) interface, and wearable self-power electronics. A strong negative temeperature coefficent of resistance is demonstrated in the realized nonlinear graphene-integrated resistors for its application in NTC thermistors.

Imaging nanoscale molecular binding in functionalized graphene via tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Surface functionalization of low-dimensional nanomaterials offers a means to tailor their optoelectronic and chemical characteristics. However, functionalization reactions are sensitive to the inherent surface features of nanomaterials, such as defects, grain boundaries, and edges. Conventional optical characterization methods, such as Raman spectroscopy, have limited sensitivity and spatial resolution and, therefore, struggle to visualize reaction sites and chemical species. Here, we demonstrate the capability of spatially and chemically sensitive tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy imaging to map the distribution of molecules in covalently functionalized graphene. Hyperspectral vertex component analysis and density functional theory are necessary to interpret the nature of binding sites and extract information from the spatially and spectrally heterogeneous datasets. Our results clarify the origin of heterogeneous surface functionalization, resolving preferential binding at edges and defects. This work demonstrates the potential of nanospectroscopic tools combined with unsupervised learning to characterize complex, partially ordered optoelectronic nanomaterials.

Nanoscale doping of polymeric semiconductors with confined electrochemical ion implantation

Nanoresolved doping of polymeric semiconductors can overcome scaling limitations to create highly integrated flexible electronics, but remains a fundamental challenge due to isotropic diffusion of the dopants. Here we report a general methodology for achieving nanoscale ion-implantation-like electrochemical doping of polymeric semiconductors. This approach involves confining counterion electromigration within a glassy electrolyte composed of room-temperature ionic liquids and high-glass-transition-temperature insulating polymers. By precisely adjusting the electrolyte glass transition temperature (Tg) and the operating temperature (T), we create a highly localized electric field distribution and achieve anisotropic ion migration that is nearly vertical to the nanotip electrodes. The confined doping produces an excellent resolution of 56 nm with a lateral-extended doping length down to as little as 9.3 nm. We reveal a universal exponential dependence of the doping resolution on the temperature difference (Tg - T) that can be used to depict the doping resolution for almost infinite polymeric semiconductors. Moreover, we demonstrate its implications in a range of polymer electronic devices, including a 200% performance-enhanced organic transistor and a lateral p-n diode with seamless junction widths of <100 nm. Combined with a further demonstration in the scalability of the nanoscale doping, this concept may open up new opportunities for polymer-based nanoelectronics.

Spatially selective p-type doping for constructing lateral WS2 p-n homojunction via low-energy nitrogen ion implantation

The construction of lateral p-n junctions is very important and challenging in two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor manufacturing process. Previous researches have demonstrated that vertical p-n junction can be prepared simply by vertical stacking of 2D materials. However, interface pollution and large area scalability are challenges that are difficult to overcome with vertical stacking technology. Constructing 2D lateral p-n homojunction is an effective strategy to address these issues. Spatially selective p-type doping of 2D semiconductors is expected to construct lateral p-n homojunction. In this work, we have developed a low-energy ion implantation system that reduces the implanted energy to 300 eV. Low-energy implantation can form a shallow implantation depth, which is more suitable for modulating the electrical and optical properties of 2D materials. Hence, we utilize low-energy ion implantation to directly dope nitrogen ions into few-layer WS2 and successfully realize a precise regulation for WS2 with its conductivity type transforming from n-type to bipolar or even p-type conduction. Furthermore, the universality of this method is demonstrated by extending it to other 2D semiconductors, including WSe2, SnS2 and MoS2. Based on this method, a lateral WS2 p-n homojunction is fabricated, which exhibits significant rectification characteristics. A photodetector based on p-n junction with photovoltaic effect is also prepared, and the open circuit voltage can reach to 0.39 V. This work provides an effective way for controllable doping of 2D semiconductors.

MXene-based electrochemical devices applied for healthcare applications

The initial part of the review provides an extensive overview about MXenes as novel and exciting 2D nanomaterials describing their basic physico-chemical features, methods of their synthesis, and possible interfacial modifications and techniques, which could be applied to the characterization of MXenes. Unique physico-chemical parameters of MXenes make them attractive for many practical applications, which are shortly discussed. Use of MXenes for healthcare applications is a hot scientific discipline which is discussed in detail. The article focuses on determination of low molecular weight analytes (metabolites), high molecular weight analytes (DNA/RNA and proteins), or even cells, exosomes, and viruses detected using electrochemical sensors and biosensors. Separate chapters are provided to show the potential of MXene-based devices for determination of cancer biomarkers and as wearable sensors and biosensors for monitoring of a wide range of human activities.

Nitrogen-Doped Graphene Materials with High Electrical Conductivity Produced by Electrochemical Exfoliation of Graphite Foil

Nitrogen-doped graphene-based materials are of utmost importance in sensing and energy conversion devices due to their unique physicochemical properties. However, the presence of defects such as pyrrolic nitrogen and oxygenated functional groups reduces their electrical conductivity. Herein, a two-step approach based on the electrochemical exfoliation of graphite foils in aqueous mixed electrolytes followed by thermal reduction at 900 °C is used to prepare high-quality few layers of N-doped graphene-based materials. The exfoliations were conducted in 0.1 M (NH4)2SO4 or H2SO4 and HNO3 (5 mM or 0.1 M) electrolytes mixtures and the HNO3 vol% varied. Chemical analysis demonstrated that the as-prepared graphene oxides contain nitro and amine groups. Thermal reduction is needed for substitutional N-doping. Nitrogen and oxygen surface concentrations vary between 0.23-0.96% and 3-8%, respectively. Exfoliation in (NH4)2SO4 and/or 5 mM HNO3 favors the formation of pyridinic-N (10-40% of the total N), whereas 1 M HNO3 favors the formation of graphitic-N (≈60%). The electrical conductivity ranges between 166-2705 Scm-1. Raman spectroscopy revealed a low density of defects (ID/IG ratio between 0.1 and 0.7) and that most samples are composed of mono-to-bilayer graphene-based materials (IG/I2D integrated intensities ratio). Structural and compositional stability of selected samples after storage in air for three months is demonstrated. These results confirm the high quality of the synthesized undoped and N-doped graphene-type materials.

Ultrafast and Broad-Band Graphene Heterojunction Photodetectors with High Gain

Graphene possesses an exotic band structure that spans a wide range of important technological wavelength regimes for photodetection, all within a single material. Conventional methods aimed at enhancing detection efficiency often suffer from an extended response time when the light is switched off. The task of achieving ultrafast broad-band photodetection with a high gain remains challenging. Here, we propose a devised architecture that combines graphene with a photosensitizer composed of an alternating strip superstructure of WS2-WSe2. Upon illumination, n+-WS2 and p+-WSe2 strips create alternating electron- and hole-conduction channels in graphene, effectively overcoming the tradeoff between the responsivity and switch time. This configuration allows for achieving a responsivity of 1.7 × 107 mA/W, with an extrinsic response time of 3-4 μs. The inclusion of the superstructure booster enables photodetection across a wide range from the near-ultraviolet to mid-infrared regime and offers a distinctive photogating route for high responsivity and fast temporal response in the pursuit of broad-band detection.

Zero-Bias Photodetection in 2D Materials via Geometric Design of Contacts

Structural or crystal asymmetry is a necessary condition for the emergence of zero-bias photocurrent in light detectors. Structural asymmetry has been typically achieved via p-n doping, which is a technologically complex process. Here, we propose an alternative approach to achieve zero-bias photocurrent in two-dimensional (2D) material flakes exploiting the geometrical nonequivalence of source and drain contacts. As a prototypical example, we equip a square-shaped flake of PdSe₂ with mutually orthogonal metal leads. Upon uniform illumination with linearly polarized light, the device demonstrates nonzero photocurrent which flips its sign upon 90° polarization rotation. The origin of zero-bias photocurrent lies in a polarization-dependent lightning-rod effect. It enhances the electromagnetic field at one contact from the orthogonal pair and selectively activates the internal photoeffect at the respective metal-PdSe₂ Schottky junction. The proposed technology of contact engineering is independent of a particular light-detection mechanism and can be extended to arbitrary 2D materials.

Graphene-based optofluidic tweezers for refractive-index and size-based nanoparticle sorting, manipulation, and detection

This work proposes a novel design composed of graphene nanoribbons-based optofluidic tweezers to manipulate and sort bio-particles with radii below 2.5 nm. The suggested structure has been numerically investigated by the finite difference time domain (FDTD) method employing Maxwell's stress tensor analysis (MST). The finite element method (FEM) has been used to obtain the electrostatic response of the proposed structure. The tweezer main path is a primary channel in the center of the structure, where the microfluidic flow translates the nanoparticle toward this channel. Concerning the microfluid's drag force, the nanoparticles tend to move along the length of the main channel. The graphene nanoribbons are fixed near the main channel at different distances to exert optical forces on the moving nanoparticles in the perpendicular direction. In this regard, sub-channels embedding in the hBN layer on the Si substrate deviate bio-particles from the main path for particular nanoparticle sizes and indices. Intense hotspots with electric field enhancements up to 900 times larger than the incident light are realized inside and around the graphene ribbons. Adjusting the gap distance between the graphene nanoribbon and the main channel allows us to separate the individual particle with a specific size from others, thus guiding that in the desired sub-channel. Furthermore, we demonstrated that in a structure with a large gap between channels, particles experience weak field intensity, leading to a low optical force that is insufficient to detect, trap, and manipulate nanoparticles. By varying the chemical potential of graphene associated with the electric field intensity variations in the graphene ribbons, we realized tunability in sorting nanoparticles while structural parameters remained constant. In fact, by adjusting the graphene Fermi level via the applied gate voltage, nanoparticles with any desired radius will be quickly sorted. Moreover, we exhibited that the proposed structure could sort nanoparticles based on their refractive indices. Therefore, the given optofluidic tweezer can easily detect bio-particles, such as cancer cells and viruses of tiny size.

Gate-Tunable Resonance State and Screening Effects for Proton-Like Atomic Charge in Graphene

The ability to create a robust and well-defined artificial atomic charge in graphene and understand its carrier-dependent electronic properties represents an important goal toward the development of graphene-based quantum devices. Herein, we devise a new pathway toward the atomically precise embodiment of point charges into a graphene lattice by posterior (N) ion implantation into a back-gated graphene device. The N dopant behaves as an in-plane proton-like charge manifested by formation of the characteristic resonance state in the conduction band. Scanning tunneling spectroscopy measurements at varied charge carrier densities reveal a giant energetic renormalization of the resonance state up to 220 meV with respect to the Dirac point, accompanied by the observation of gate-tunable long-range screening effects close to individual N dopants. Joint density functional theory and tight-binding calculations with modified perturbation potential corroborate experimental findings and highlight the short-range character of N-induced perturbation.

Single-Crystalline Perovskite p-n Junction Nanowire Arrays for Ultrasensitive Photodetection

Highly sensitive photodetectors play significant roles in modern optoelectronic integrated circuits. Constructing p-n junctions has been proven to be a particularly powerful approach to realizing sensitive photodetection due to their efficient carrier separation. Recently, p-n-junction photodetectors based on organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites, which combine favorable optoelectronic performance with facile processability, hold great potential in practical applications. So far, these devices have generally been made of polycrystalline films, which exhibit poor carrier-transport efficiency, impeding the further improvement of their photoresponsivities. Here, a type of ultrasensitive photodetector based on single-crystalline perovskite p-n-junction nanowire arrays is demonstrated. The single-crystalline perovskite p-n-junction nanowire arrays not only possess high crystallinity that enables efficient carrier transport but also form a built-in electric field facilitating effective carrier separation. As a result, the devices show excellent photosensitivity over a wide spectral range from 405 to 635 nm with an outstanding responsivity of 2.65 × 10²  A W^-1 at 532 nm. These results will provide new insights into the design and construction of high-performance photodetectors for practical optoelectronic applications.

A highly tunable photoelectric response of graphene field-effect transistor with lateral P-N junction in channel

This paper reports a highly tunable photoelectric response of graphene field-effect transistor (GFET) with lateral P-N junction in channel. The poly(sulfobetaine methacrylate) (PSBMA) provides strong N-type doping on graphene due to the dipole moment of pendent groups after ultraviolet annealing in high vacuum. A lateral P-N junction is introduced into the channel of the GFET by partially covering the graphene channel with PSBMA. With such P-N junction in the channel, the GFET exhibits a highly tunable photoelectric response over a wide range of exciting photon wavelength. With a lateral P-N junction in the channel, the polarity of photocurrent (I_ph) of the GFET switches three times as the back-gate voltage (V_BG) scan over two Dirac-point voltages. The underlying physical mechanism of photoelectric response is attributed to photovoltaic and photo-induced bolometric effect, which compete to dominatingI_phat variousV_BG. This provides a possible strategy for designing new phototransistors or optoelectronic device in the future.

Atomistic Observation of the Local Phase Transition in MoTe2 for Application in Homojunction Photodetectors

Direct atomic-scale observation of the local phase transition in transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) is critically required to carry out in-depth studies of their atomic structures and electronic features. However, the structural aspects including crystal symmetries tend to be unclear and unintuitive in real-time monitoring of the phase transition process. Herein, by using in situ transmission electron microscopy, information about the phase transition mechanism of MoTe₂ from hexagonal structure (2H phase) to monoclinic structure (1T' phase) driven by sublimation of Te atoms after a spike annealing is obtained directly. Furthermore, with the control of Te atom sublimation by modulating the hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) coverage in the desired area, the lateral 1T'-enriched MoTe₂ /2H MoTe₂ homojunction can be one-step constructed via an annealing treatment. Owing to the gradient bandgap provided by 1T'-enriched MoTe₂ and 2H MoTe₂ , the photodetector composed of the 1T'-enriched MoTe₂ /2H MoTe₂ homojunction shows fast photoresponse and ten times larger photocurrents than that consisting of a pure 2H MoTe₂ channel. The study reveals a route to improve the performance of optoelectronic and electronic devices based on TMDCs with both semiconducting and semimetallic phases.

Nanometer-Scale Lateral p-n Junctions in Graphene/α-RuCl3 Heterostructures

The ability to create nanometer-scale lateral p-n junctions is essential for the next generation of two-dimensional (2D) devices. Using the charge-transfer heterostructure graphene/α-RuCl₃, we realize nanoscale lateral p-n junctions in the vicinity of graphene nanobubbles. Our multipronged experimental approach incorporates scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and spectroscopy (STS) and scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscopy (s-SNOM) to simultaneously probe the electronic and optical responses of nanobubble p-n junctions. Our STM/STS results reveal that p-n junctions with a band offset of ∼0.6 eV can be achieved with widths of ∼3 nm, giving rise to electric fields of order 10⁸ V/m. Concurrent s-SNOM measurements validate a point-scatterer formalism for modeling the interaction of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) with nanobubbles. Ab initio density functional theory (DFT) calculations corroborate our experimental data and reveal the dependence of charge transfer on layer separation. Our study provides experimental and conceptual foundations for generating p-n nanojunctions in 2D materials.

Chiral carbon dots - a functional domain for tyrosinase Cu active site modulation via remote target interaction

The nano-hybrid enzyme is an ideal catalytic system that integrates various advantages from biocatalysis and nanocatalysis into homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis. However, great efforts are still needed to fully understand the interactions between nanoparticles and enzymes. Here, we show chiral carbon dots (CDs) as a new functional domain for tyrosinase Cu active site modulation via remote target interaction. Three kinds of chiral CDs (LCDs-1/-2/-3; DCDs-1/-2/-3) were fabricated by thermal treatment of citric acid and L/D-aspartic acid. Then a series of CDs/tyrosinase composites (namely, nano-hybrid-enzymes) were prepared, demonstrating good regulation of enzyme catalytic kinetics. Especially, we find that LCDs-1 is an irreversible inhibitor with great inhibition effect while the others are all reversible inhibitors. Furthermore, it is suggested by both experiments and all-atom molecular dynamics simulations that the joint effect of LCDs-1 and tyrosinase makes LCDs-1 serve as a new functional domain, which has a distinguished ability to control the conformational changes of the key sites of the active center of the tyrosinase (e.g., H60) and thus the escaping behavior of copper ions and the catalytic activity. This work opens a new route for nano-hybrid-enzyme design and enzyme activity regulation with chiral carbon materials as functional domains via remote target interaction.

Robust Visible-Blind Wearable Infrared Sensor Based on IrP2 Nanoparticle-Embedded Few-Layer Graphene and the Effect of Photogating

It is challenging to realize a visible-blind infrared photodetector as the materials that absorb infrared light also absorb visible light. Here, we report the synthesis of IrP₂ nanoparticle-embedded few-layer graphene by one-step solid-state pyrolysis and its application in visible-blind infrared sensing. A linear photodetector device was fabricated by drop casting IrP₂ nanoparticle-embedded few-layer graphene onto a flexible PET substrate with two gold electrodes separated by ∼16 μm. The photoconductive gain was found to be as high as ∼145% with response and decay times of ∼0.4 and ∼2.8 s, respectively, under 1550 nm irradiation of 800 mW cm^-2. The room-temperature responsivity was ∼1.81 A W^-1 at 80 mW cm^-2 and ∼0.54 A W^-1 at a high incident power of ∼2200 mW cm^-2 under a bias of 1 V. Interestingly, the device showed response even in the long-wavelength infrared region, but no response was found under visible light. The embedded IrP₂ nanoparticles act as trap centers inducing photogating in the device, and the average trap state energy was estimated to be ∼16.5 ± 1.5 meV from the temperature-dependent photocurrent studies. The device was found to be immune to air exposure and bending, suggestive of use a a wearable sensor.

High responsivity graphene-InGaAs near-infrared photodetector realized by hole trapping and its response saturation mechanism

Graphene is an ideal material for wide spectrum detector owing to its special band structure, but its low light absorption and fast composite of photogenerated carriers lead to a weak response performance. In this paper, we designed a unique photoconductive graphene-InGaAs photodetector. The built-in electric field was formed between graphene and InGaAs, which can prolong the lifetime of photogenerated carriers and improve the response of devices by confining the holes. Compared with graphene-Si structure, a higher built-in electric field and reach to 0.54 eV is formed. It enables the device to achieve a responsivity of 60 AW^-1 and a photoconductive gain of 79.4 at 792 nm. In the 1550 nm communication band, the responsivity of the device is also greater than 10 AW^-1 and response speed is less than 2 ms. Meanwhile, the saturation phenomenon of light response was also found in this photoconductive graphene heterojunction detector during the experiment, we have explained the phenomenon by the capacitance theory of the built-in electric field, and the maximum optical responsivity of the detector is calculated theoretically, which is in good agreement with the measurement result.

Graphene-mediated ferromagnetic coupling in the nickel nano-islands/graphene hybrid

Nanoscale magnetic structures are fundamental to the design and fabrication of spintronic devices and have exhibited tremendous potential superior to the conventional semiconductor devices. However, most of the magnetic moments in nanostructures are unstable due to size effect, and the possible solution based on exchange coupling between nanomagnetism is still not clear. Here, graphene-mediated exchange coupling between nanomagnets is demonstrated by depositing discrete superparamagnetic Ni nano-islands on single-crystal graphene. The heterostructure exhibits ideal two-dimensional (2D) ferromagnetism with clear hysteresis loops and Curie temperature up to 80 K. The intrinsic ferromagnetism in graphene and antiferromagnetic exchange coupling between graphene and Ni nano-islands are revealed by x-ray magnetic circular dichroism and density functional theory calculations. The artificial 2D ferromagnets constitute a platform to study the coupling mechanism between complex correlated electronic systems and magnetism on the nanoscale, and the results and concept provide insights into the realization of spin manipulation in quantum computing.

2D Homojunctions for Electronics and Optoelectronics

In the post-Moore era, 2D materials with rich physical properties have attracted widespread attention from the scientific and industrial communities. Among 2D materials, the 2D homojunctions are of great promise in designing novel electronic and optoelectronic devices due to their unique geometries and properties such as homogeneous components, perfect lattice matching, and efficient charge transfer at the interface. In this article, a pioneering review focusing on the structural design and device application of 2D homojunctions such as p-n homojunctions, heterophase homojunctions, and layer-engineered homojunctions is provided. The preparation strategies to construct 2D homojunctions including vapor-phase deposition, lithium intercalation, laser irradiation, chemical doping, electrostatic doping, and photodoping are summarized in detail. Specifically, a careful review on the applications of the 2D homojunctions in electronics (e.g., field-effect transistors, rectifiers, and inverters) and optoelectronics (e.g., light-emitting diodes, photovoltaics, and photodetectors) is provided. Eventually, the current challenges and future perspectives are commented for promoting the rapid development of 2D homojunctions.

Construction of activated carbon-supported B3N3 doped carbon as metal-free catalyst for dehydrochlorination of 1,2-dichloroethane to produce vinyl chloride

Metal-free catalysts synthesized by impregnating activated carbons with B₃N₃-containing arylacetylene resin showed good catalytic performance for industrial dehydrochlorination of 1,2-dichloroethane to produce vinyl chloride monomer.

Energy-Efficient Tunneling Field-Effect Transistors for Low-Power Device Applications: Challenges and Opportunities

Conventional field-effect transistors (FETs) have long been considered a fundamental electronic component for a diverse range of devices. However, nanoelectronic circuits based on FETs are not energy efficient because they require a large supply voltage for switching applications. To reduce the supply voltage in standard FETs, which is hampered by the 60 mV/decade limit established by the subthreshold swing (SS), a new class of FETs have been designed, tunnel FETs (TFETs). A TFET utilizes charge-carrier transportation in device channels using quantum mechanical based band-to-band tunneling despite of conventional thermal injection. The TFETs fabricated with thin semiconducting film or nanowires can attain a 100-fold power drop compared to complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) transistors. As a result, the use of TFETs and CMOS technology together could ameliorate integrated circuits for low-power devices. The discovery of two-dimensional (2D) materials with a diverse range of electronic properties has also opened new gateways for condensed matter physics, nanotechnology, and material science, thus potentially improving TFET-based devices in terms of device design and performance. In this review, state-of-art TFET devices exhibiting different semiconducting channels and geometries are comprehensively reviewed followed by a brief discussion of the challenges that remain for the development of high-performance devices. Lastly, future prospects are presented for the improvement of device design and the working efficiency of TFETs.

Integration of graphene and two-dimensional ferroelectrics: properties and related functional devices

Ferroelectric (FE) thin films have been investigated for many years due to their broad applications in electronic devices. It was recently demonstrated that FE functionality persists in ultrathin films, possibly even in monolayers of two-dimensional (2D) FEs. However, the feasibility of 2D-based FE functional devices remains an open challenge. Here, we employ density-functional-theory calculations to propose and document the possible integration of graphene with 2D FE materials on metal substrates in the form of functional FE devices. We show that monolayers of proposed M₂O₃ (M = Al, Y) in the quintuple layer (QL) In₂Se₃ structure are stable 2D FE materials and that QL-M₂O₃ is a functional tunnel barrier in a graphene/QL-M₂O₃/Ru heterostructure. The QL-M₂O₃ barrier width can be modulated by its polarization direction, whereby the heterostructure can function as a prototype ferroelectric tunnel junction. Moreover, alternating the polarization of QL-M₂O₃ modulates the doping type of graphene, enabling the fabrication of graphene p-n junctions. By design, the proposed heterostructures can in principle be fabricated by intercalation, which is known to produce high-quality, large-scale 2D-based heterostructures.

Camphor-Based CVD Bilayer Graphene/Si Heterostructures for Self-Powered and Broadband Photodetection

This work demonstrates a self-powered and broadband photodetector using a heterojunction formed by camphor-based chemical vaper deposition (CVD) bilayer graphene on p-Si substrates. Here, graphene/p-Si heterostructures and graphene layers serve as ultra-shallow junctions for UV absorption and zero bandgap junction materials (<Si bandgap (1.1 eV)) for long-wave near-infrared (LWNIR) absorption, respectively. According to the Raman spectra and large-area (16 × 16 μm²) Raman mapping, a low-defect, >95% coverage bilayer and high-uniformity graphene were successfully obtained by camphor-based CVD processes. Furthermore, the carrier mobility of the camphor-based CVD bilayer graphene at room temperature is 1.8 × 10³ cm²/V·s. Due to the incorporation of camphor-based CVD graphene, the graphene/p-Si Schottky junctions show a good rectification property (rectification ratio of ~110 at ± 2 V) and good performance as a self-powered (under zero bias) photodetector from UV to LWNIR. The photocurrent to dark current ratio (PDCR) value is up to 230 at 0 V under white light illumination, and the detectivity (D*) is 8 × 10¹² cmHz^1/2/W at 560 nm. Furthermore, the photodetector (PD) response/decay time (i.e., rise/fall time) is ~118/120 μs. These results support the camphor-based CVD bilayer graphene/Si Schottky PDs for use in self-powered and ultra-broadband light detection in the future.

Interface Engineering-Assisted 3D-Graphene/Germanium Heterojunction for High-Performance Photodetectors

Three-dimensional graphene (3D-Gr) with excellent light absorption properties has received enormous interest, but in conventional processes to prepare 3D-Gr, amorphous carbon layers are inevitably introduced as buffer layers that may degrade the performance of graphene-based devices. Herein, 3D-Gr is prepared on germanium (Ge) using two-dimensional graphene (2D-Gr) as the buffer layer. 2D-Gr as the buffer layer facilitates the in situ synthesis of 3D-Gr on Ge by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) by promoting 2D-Gr nucleation and reducing the barrier height. The growth mechanism is investigated and described. The enhanced light absorption as confirmed by theoretical calculation and 3D-Gr/2D-Gr/Ge with a Schottky junction improves the performance of optoelectronic devices without requiring pre- and post-transfer processes. The photodetector constructed with 3D-Gr/2D-Gr/Ge shows an excellent responsivity of 1.7 A W^-1 and detectivity 3.42 × 10¹⁴ cm Hz^1/2 W^-1 at a wavelength of 1550 nm. This novel hybrid structure that incorporates 3D- and 2D-Gr into Ge-based integrated circuits and photodetectors delivers excellent performance and has large commercial potential.

Ion-Locking in Solid Polymer Electrolytes for Reconfigurable Gateless Lateral Graphene p-n Junctions

A gateless lateral p-n junction with reconfigurability is demonstrated on graphene by ion-locking using solid polymer electrolytes. Ions in the electrolytes are used to configure electric-double-layers (EDLs) that induce p- and n-type regions in graphene. These EDLs are locked in place by two different electrolytes with distinct mechanisms: (1) a polyethylene oxide (PEO)-based electrolyte, PEO:CsClO₄, is locked by thermal quenching (i.e., operating temperature < T_g (glass transition temperature)), and (2) a custom-synthesized, doubly-polymerizable ionic liquid (DPIL) is locked by thermally triggered polymerization that enables room temperature operation. Both approaches are gateless because only the source/drain terminals are required to create the junction, and both show two current minima in the backgated transfer measurements, which is a signature of a graphene p-n junction. The PEO:CsClO₄ gated p-n junction is reconfigured to n-p by resetting the device at room temperature, reprogramming, and cooling to T < T_g. These results show an alternate approach to locking EDLs on 2D devices and suggest a path forward to reconfigurable, gateless lateral p-n junctions with potential applications in polymorphic logic circuits.

Soft Skin Layers Enable Area-Specific, Multiscale Graphene Wrinkles with Switchable Orientations

This paper reports a method to realize crack-free graphene wrinkles with variable spatial wavelengths and switchable orientations. Graphene supported on a thin fluoropolymer and prestrained elastomer substrate can exhibit conformal wrinkling after strain relief. The wrinkle orientation could be switched beyond the intrinsic fracture limit of graphene for hundreds of cycles of stretching and releasing without forming cracks. Mechanical modeling revealed that the fluoropolymer layer mediated the structural evolution of the graphene wrinkles without crack formation or delamination. Patterned fluoropolymer layers with different thicknesses produced wrinkles with controlled wavelengths and orientations while maintaining the mechanical integrity of graphene under high tensile strain.

Tunable Photoresponse by Gate Modulation in Bilayer Graphene Nanoribbon Devices

Control of absorption and photocurrent conversion is of practical importance for the design of photoelectric devices. In this paper, using simulations, we demonstrate that the photoresponse of a bilayer graphene nanoribbon (GNR) device can be controlled by gate voltage modulation. A vertical gate field shifts the potential on the top and bottom layers in opposite directions, resulting in a continuous change of band gap with applied gate voltage. This field simultaneously facilitates separation of photoexcited electron-hole pairs and gives rise to a photocurrent in a selected photon energy range. The photoresponse of a bilayer GNR device can thus be tuned by adjusting the applied gate voltage. In addition, the light frequency range can be changed by using nanoribbons of different widths. These findings provide a basis for the design of adjustable optoelectronic devices using two-dimensional materials.

UV Rewritable Hybrid Graphene/Phosphor p-n Junction Photodiode

Graphene-based p-n junction photodiodes have a potential application prospect in photodetection due to their broadband spectral response, large operating bandwidth, and mechanical flexibility. Here, we report an ultraviolet (UV) rewritable p-n junction photodiode in a configuration of graphene coated with an amorphous phosphor of 4-bromo-1,8-naphthalic anhydride derivative polymer (poly-BrNpA). Under moderate UV irradiation, occurrence of photoisomerization reaction in the poly-BrNpA film leads to its drastically modified optical characteristics and a concurrent n-type doping in the underneath graphene. Meanwhile, the poly-BrNpA film, highly sensitive to water molecules, has a capability of restoring graphene to its initial p-type doping status by means of water adsorption. Based on these findings, a lateral graphene/poly-BrNpA p-n junction photodiode, responsive to visible light at the junction interface, can be written by UV irradiation and then erased via water adsorption. The p-n junction photodiode is rewritable upon such repetitive loops showing repeatable optoelectronic properties. This study provides a new scheme and perspective of making graphene-based rewritable p-n junction photodiodes in a flexible and controllable way, and it may contribute to expanding new families of optoelectronic devices based on two-dimensional materials.

Reconfigurable two-dimensional optoelectronic devices enabled by local ferroelectric polarization

Ferroelectric engineered pn doping in two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors hold essential promise in realizing customized functional devices in a reconfigurable manner. Here, we report the successful pn doping in molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) optoelectronic device by local patterned ferroelectric polarization, and its configuration into lateral diode and npn bipolar phototransistors for photodetection from such a versatile playground. The lateral pn diode formed in this way manifests efficient self-powered detection by separating ~12% photo-generated electrons and holes. When polarized as bipolar phototransistor, the device is customized with a gain ~1000 by its transistor action, reaching the responsivity ~12 A W-1 and detectivity over 1013 Jones while keeping a fast response speed within 20 μs. A promising pathway toward high performance optoelectronics is thus opened up based on local ferroelectric polarization coupled 2D semiconductors.

Zero-Bias Visible to Near-Infrared Horizontal p-n-p TiO2 Nanotubes Doped Monolayer Graphene Photodetector

We present a p-n-p monolayer graphene photodetector doped with titanium dioxide nanotubes for detecting light from visible to near-infrared (405 to 1310 nm) region. The built-in electric field separates the photo-induced electrons and holes to generate photocurrent without bias voltage, which allows the device to have meager power consumption. Moreover, the detector is very sensitive to the illumination area, and we analyze the reason using the energy band theory. The response time of the detector is about 30 ms. The horizontal p-n-p device is a suitable candidate in zero-bias optoelectronic applications.

Three-Dimensional Graphene Field-Effect Transistors as High-Performance Photodetectors

Graphene is an ideal material for high-performance photodetectors because of its superior electronic and optical properties. However, graphene's weak optical absorption limits the photoresponsivity of conventional photodetectors based on planar (two-dimensional or 2D) back-gated graphene field-effect transistors (GFETs). Here, we report a self-rolled-up method to turn 2D buried-gate GFETs into three-dimensional (3D) tubular GFETs. Because the optical field inside the tubular resonant microcavity is enhanced and the light-graphene interaction area is increased, the photoresponsivity of the resulting 3D GFETs is significantly improved. The 3D GFET photodetectors demonstrated room-temperature photodetection at ultraviolet, visible, mid-infrared, and terahertz (THz) regions, with both ultraviolet and visible photoresponsivities of more than 1 A W^-1 and photoresponsivity of 0.232 A W^-1 at 3.11 THz. The electrical bandwidth of these devices exceeds 1 MHz. This combination of high photoresponsivity, a broad spectral range, and high speed will lead to new opportunities for 3D graphene optoelectronic devices and systems.

Electronic and Thermal Properties of Graphene and Recent Advances in Graphene Based Electronics Applications

Recently, graphene has been extensively researched in fundamental science and engineering fields and has been developed for various electronic applications in emerging technologies owing to its outstanding material properties, including superior electronic, thermal, optical and mechanical properties. Thus, graphene has enabled substantial progress in the development of the current electronic systems. Here, we introduce the most important electronic and thermal properties of graphene, including its high conductivity, quantum Hall effect, Dirac fermions, high Seebeck coefficient and thermoelectric effects. We also present up-to-date graphene-based applications: optical devices, electronic and thermal sensors, and energy management systems. These applications pave the way for advanced biomedical engineering, reliable human therapy, and environmental protection. In this review, we show that the development of graphene suggests substantial improvements in current electronic technologies and applications in healthcare systems.

Annealing Temperature-Dependent Terahertz Thermal-Electrical Conversion Characteristics of Three-Dimensional Microporous Graphene

Three-dimensional microporous graphene (3DMG) possesses ultrahigh photon absorptivity and excellent photothermal conversion ability and shows great potential in energy storage and photodetection, especially for the not well-explored terahertz (THz) frequency range. Here, we report on the characterization of the THz thermal-electrical conversion properties of 3DMG with different annealing treatments. We observe distinct behavior of bolometric and photothermoelectric responses varying with annealing temperature. Resistance-temperature characteristics and thermoelectric power measurements reveal that marked charge carrier reversal occurs in 3DMG as the annealing temperature changes between 600 and 800 °C, which can be well explained by Fermi-level tuning associated with oxygen functional group evolution. Benefiting from the large specific surface area of 3DMG, it has an extraordinary capability of reaching thermal equilibrium quickly and exhibits a fast photothermal conversion with a time constant of 23 ms. In addition, 3DMG can serve as an ideal absorber to improve the sensitivity of THz detectors and we demonstrate that the responsivity of a carbon nanotube device could be enhanced by 12 times through 3DMG. Our work provides new insight into the physical characteristics of carrier transport and THz thermal-electrical conversion in 3DMG controlled by annealing temperature and opens an avenue for the development of highly efficient graphene-based THz devices.

In situ synthesis of monolayer graphene on silicon for near-infrared photodetectors

Direct integration of monolayer graphene on a silicon (Si) substrate is realized by a simple thermal annealing process, involving a top copper (Cu) layer as the catalyst and an inserted polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) as the carbon source. After spin-coating the PMMA carbon source on the Si substrate, the Cu catalyst was deposited on PMMA/Si by electron beam evaporation. After that, graphene was directly synthesized on Si by decomposition and dehydrogenation of PMMA and the catalyzation effect of Cu under a simple thermal annealing process. Furthermore, under an optimized growth condition, monolayer graphene directly formed on the Si substrate was demonstrated. Utilizing the as-grown graphene/Si heterojunction, near-infrared photodetectors with high detectivity (∼1.1 × 10¹⁰ cm Hz^1/2 W⁻¹) and high responsivity (50 mA W⁻¹) at 1550 nm were directly fabricated without any post-transfer process. The proposed approach for directly growing graphene on silicon is highly scalable and compatible with present nano/micro-fabrication systems, thus promoting the application of graphene in microelectronic fields.

Direct integration of monolayer graphene on a silicon (Si) substrate is realized by a simple thermal annealing process, involving a top copper (Cu) layer as the catalyst and an inserted polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) as the carbon source.