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This review focuses on the existing strategies and underlying mechanisms, and discusses future directions in epitaxial substrate engineering to deliver wafer-scale 2D materials for integrated electronics and photonics.

By incorporating organic BHJ onto graphene, graphene/ZnO/PTB7-Th:IEICO-4F shows gate tunable photodetection/photostorage switching features for the implementation of both retinomorphic vision and memorial preprocessing functions.

With the advent of the Internet of Things era, the detection and recognition of moving objects is becoming increasingly important1. The current motion detection and recognition (MDR) technology based on the complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors (CIS) platform contains redundant sensing, transmission conversion, processing and memory modules, rendering the existing systems bulky and inefficient in comparison to the human retina. Until now, non-memory capable vision sensors have only been used for static targets, rather than MDR. Here, we present a retina-inspired two-dimensional (2D) heterostructure based retinomorphic hardware device with all-in-one perception, memory and computing capabilities for the detection and recognition of moving trolleys. The proposed 2D retinomorphic device senses an optical stimulus to generate progressively tuneable positive/negative photoresponses and memorizes it, combined with interframe differencing computations, to achieve 100% separation detection of moving trichromatic trolleys without ghosting. The detected motion images are fed into a conductance mapped neural network to achieve fast trolley recognition in as few as four training epochs at 10% noise level, outperforming previous results from similar customized datasets. The prototype demonstration of a 2D retinomorphic device with integrated perceptual memory and computation provides the possibility of building compact, efficient MDR hardware. A retina-inspired two-dimensional material based retinomorphic device exhibits all-in-one perception, memory and computing capabilities for motion detection and recognition.

Room-temperature-operating highly sensitive mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR) photodetectors are utilized in a large number of important applications, including night vision, communications, and optical radar. Many previous studies have demonstrated uncooled MWIR photodetectors using 2D narrow-bandgap semiconductors. To date, most of these works have utilized atomically thin flakes, simple van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures, or atomically thin p-n junctions as absorbers, which have difficulty in meeting the requirements for state-of-the-art MWIR photodetectors with a blackbody response. Here, a fully depleted self-aligned MoS

Unipolar barrier structures are used to suppress dark current in photodetectors by blocking majority carriers. Designing unipolar barriers with conventional materials is challenging due to the strict requirements of lattice and band matching. Two-dimensional materials have self-passivated surfaces and tunable band structures, and can thus be used to design unipolar barriers in which lattice mismatch and interface defects are avoided. Here, we show that band-engineered van der Waals heterostructures can be used to build visible and mid-wavelength infrared unipolar barrier photodetectors. Our nBn unipolar barrier photodetectors, which are based on a tungsten disulfide/hexagonal boron nitride/palladium diselenide heterostructure, exhibit a low dark current of 15 pA, a photocurrent of 20 μA and a detectivity of 2.7 × 1012 cm Hz1/2 W−1. Our pBp unipolar barrier photodetectors, which are based on a black phosphorus/molybdenum disulfide/graphene heterostructure, exhibit a room-temperature detectivity of 2.3 × 1010 cm Hz1/2 W−1 in the mid-wavelength infrared region under blackbody radiation. The pBp devices also show a dichroic ratio of 4.9 under blackbody radiation, and a response time of 23 μs under 2 μm laser illumination. Band-engineered van der Waals heterostructures that block dark current without suppressing photocurrent can be used to build detectors with high room-temperature detectivity for visible light and blackbody infrared light.

Uncooled infrared photodetectors have evoked widespread interest in basic research and military manufacturing because of their low-cost, compact detection systems. However, existing uncooled infrared photodetectors utilize the photothermoelectric effect of infrared radiation operating at 8-12 μm, with a slow response time in the millisecond range. Hence, the exploration of new uncooled mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR) heterostructures is conducive to the development of ultrafast and high-performance nano-optoelectronics. This study explores a van der Waals heterojunction on epitaxial HgCdTe (vdWs-on-MCT) as an uncooled MWIR photodetector, which achieves fast response as well as high detectivity for spectral blackbody detection. Specifically, the vdWs-on-MCT photodetector has a fast response time of 13 ns (77 MHz), which is approximately an order of magnitude faster than commercial uncooled MCT photovoltaic photodetectors. Importantly, the device exhibits a photoresponsivity of 2.5 A/W, quantum efficiency as high as 85%, peak detectivity of 2×1010 cm Hz1/2 W-1 under blackbody radiation at room temperature, and peak detectivity of up to 1011 cm Hz1/2 W-1 at 77 K. Thereby, our work facilitates the effective design of high-speed and high-performance heterojunction uncooled MWIR photodetectors. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Recent researches have proven that HgCdTe is a good material to acquire both high multiplication and low excess noise factor at the same time in avalanche photodiodes (APDs). As a pseudo-binary narrow bandgap semiconductor material, HgCdTe exhibits high conduction band nonparabolicity as well as strong alloy scattering, especially for hot electrons, which changes the dynamics of hot electrons in a fundamental manner. Here, we propose a different scheme to characterize the scattering event and establish the probability theory, spatial description theory, to discuss the dynamics of electrons in HgCdTe APDs with the large nonparabolicity and the strong alloy scattering included. The spatial description theory is then compared with current analytic theory and the Monte Carlo method.

Hot carrier harvest could save 30% energy loss in solar cells. So far, however, it is still unreachable as the photoexcited hot carriers are short-lived, ∼1 ps, determined by a rapid relaxation process, thus invalidating any reprocessing efforts. Here, we propose and demonstrate a feasible route to reserve hot electrons for efficient collection. It is accomplished by an intentional mix of cubic zinc-blend and hexagonal wurtzite phases in III-V semiconductor nanowires. Additional energy levels are then generated above the conduction band minimum, capturing and storing hot electrons before they cool down to the band edges. We also show the superiority of core/shell nanowire (radial heterostructure) in extracting hot electrons. The strategy disclosed here may offer a unique opportunity to modulate hot carriers for efficient solar energy harvest.

Single-photon detectors (SPDs) that can sense individual photons are the most sensitive instruments for photodetection. Established SPDs such as conventional silicon or III-V compound semiconductor avalanche diodes and photomultiplier tubes have been used in a wide range of time-correlated photon-counting applications, including quantum information technologies, in vivo biomedical imaging, time-of-flight 3D scanners, and deep-space optical communications. However, further development of these fields requires more sophisticated detectors with high detection efficiency, fast response, and photon-number-resolving ability, etc. Thereby, significant efforts have been made to improve the performance of conventional SPDs and to develop new photon-counting technologies. In this review, the working mechanisms and key performance metrics of conventional SPDs are first summarized. Then emerging photon-counting detectors (in the visible to infrared range) based on 0D quantum dots, 1D quantum nanowires, and 2D layered materials are discussed. These low-dimensional materials exhibit many exotic properties due to the quantum confinement effect. And photodetectors built from these nD-materials (n = 0, 1, 2) can potentially be used for ultra-weak light detection. By reviewing the status and discussing the challenges faced by SPDs, this review aims to provide future perspectives on the research directions of emerging photon-counting technologies.

Low-dimensional Te-based photodetectors exhibit blackbody response and achieve record-set performance metrics., Blackbody-sensitive room-temperature infrared detection is a notable development direction for future low-dimensional infrared photodetectors. However, because of the limitations of responsivity and spectral response range for low-dimensional narrow bandgap semiconductors, few low-dimensional infrared photodetectors exhibit blackbody sensitivity. Here, highly crystalline tellurium (Te) nanowires and two-dimensional nanosheets were synthesized by using chemical vapor deposition. The low-dimensional Te shows high hole mobility and broadband detection. The blackbody-sensitive infrared detection of Te devices was demonstrated. A high responsivity of 6650 A W−1 (at 1550-nm laser) and the blackbody responsivity of 5.19 A W−1 were achieved. High-resolution imaging based on Te photodetectors was successfully obtained. All the results suggest that the chemical vapor deposition–grown low-dimensional Te is one of the competitive candidates for sensitive focal-plane-array infrared photodetectors at room temperature.

Manipulating polarization, phase, and amplitude simultaneously in real time is an ultimate pursuit of controlling light. Several types of controllable metasurfaces have been realized, but with either low transmission efficiencies or limited control over amplitude, polarization, and phase in real time. Here we present a weak oscillation theory dealing with a new, to the best of our knowledge, type of optical system consisting of many layers of artificial oscillators, with each layer weakly interacting with the external field. As an application of our theory, we demonstrate and simulate a graphene-based metasurface structure to show that the oscillator system could change the focal length by changing the bias voltages. The polarization state to focus can also be selected by the bias voltage. The weak oscillation theory provides a flexible method to control the intensity, phase, and polarization.

With the rising demand of recording, computing and image capture, advanced optoelectronic detection, storage and logic devices are highly pursued. Nevertheless, multi-functional vision chip based on infrared detection and memory switching has never been demonstrated. Here, by utilizing the electronic extraction layer ZnO and face-on orientation of D-A, we exhibit the broadband visible to near-infrared photo-response and photo-storage characters on graphene phototransistor. Functions as photodetection and photo-storage can be switched with the variation of gate voltage. The device demonstrates high photo-responsivity up to 1.88 × 106 A/W at 895 nm corresponding detectivity of 4.8 × 1012 Jones. Importantly, the rewritable and switching infrared optoelectronic memory function can be achieved with good retention over 104 s. The both retinomorphic vision and memorial preprocessing in artificial visual are simultaneously realized by photodetection/photostorage switching property. Such nearly all-solution processes in our phototransistors may open up the path for the large-scale and easy manufacturing infrared multifunctional bio-optoelectronic device.

The supplemental text contains the derivation process of the total field, the simulation methods, simplification of Jones matrix, optimization algorithm, and schematic illustration of electric circuits.

The very long wavelength infrared (VLWIR, >14 µm) spectral band is an indispensable part of new-generation infrared remote sensing. Mercury cadmium telluride (HgCdTe or MCT) has shown excellent potential across the entire infrared band. However, the dark current, which is extremely sensitive to the technological level and small Cd composition, severely limits the performance of VLWIR HgCdTe photodiodes. In this study, cut-off wavelengths of up to 15 µm for HgCdTe devices with novel P-G-I (including wide bandgap p-type cap layer, grading layer and intrinsic absorption layer) designs have been reported. Compared with a device with a double-layer heterojunction (DLHJ) structure, the designed P-G-I structure successfully reduced dark current by suppressing the Shockley–Read–Hall process. Considering the balance of quantum efficiency and dark current, with the introduction of an approximately 0.8 µm thickness Cd composition grading layer, the device can achieve a high detectivity of up to 2.5×1011 cm Hz1/2 W−1. Experiments show that the P-G-I-T device has a lower dark current and a better SRH process suppressing ability than DLHJ devices, the measured detectivity achieved 8.7×1010 cm Hz1/2 W−1. According to additional research, the trap-assisted tunneling current is the primary component of the dark current. Controlling the trap concentration to as low as 1×1013 cm−3 will be continuous and meaningful work. The proposed study provides guidance for VLWIR HgCdTe photodetectors.

With the development of infrared optoelectronic technology, high responsivity, ultra-low dark current, and high response speed have become important factors of the next generation of infrared photodiodes. However, the minimum thickness of the absorber layer is limited to approximately one or several wavelength lengths to acquire high quantum efficiency, which results in a long transit time of photogenerated carriers. In this work, we propose a photon-trapping structure that uses the skin effect of metals to generate horizontal local modes to enhance the absorption of infrared photodiodes. The photon-trapping structure consists of an artificial grating structure covered by a metallic film. Importantly, we develop a simplified theoretical model to describe the local mode, which is then being used to design the realistic photon-trapping structure presented in this work. This design method is universal and we discuss the optical properties of the photon-trapping structure in InAs, InSb, InAs/GaSb type-II superlattices, InAs/InAsSb type-II superlattices, and HgCdTe infrared photodiodes. Both absorption of optical properties and responsivity of optoelectrical properties are numerically investigated in a systematic way. The optical simulations indicate that the absorption of the HgCdTe infrared photodiodes exceeds 80% at 8.5 ∼ 11 µm with a maximum value of 95% at 9.73 µm. The optoelectrical simulations show that the responsivity at 7 ∼ 10 µm is significantly enhanced compared to that of the plain HgCdTe infrared photodiodes without the photon-trapping structure. We further investigate the optical crosstalk in the HgCdTe pixel array employing the photon-trapping structure. The optical crosstalk significantly reduces as the pixel spacing increases. Our work provides a design method for developing small pixel, large scale, and low dark current focal plane array infrared photodiodes.

The avalanche is the foundation of the understanding and vast applications of the breakdown of semiconductors and insulators. Present numerical theories analyzing the avalanche photodetectors are mainly split into two categories: the macroscopic empirical model with fitting parameters and the microscopic process simulation with statistical estimations. Here, we present a parameter-free analytic theory of the avalanche for a narrow-band material, HgCdTe, originated from quantum mechanics, avoiding any fitting parameter or any statistical estimation while taking advantage of both categories. Distinct from classical theory, we propose a full spatial description of an avalanche with basic concepts such as transition rate and equation of motion modified. As a stochastic process, the probability density function (PDF) of impact ionization is utilized in a generalized history-dependent theory. On account of different carrier generation character of light and leakage current, we suggest that carrier generated at different positions should be considered separately, which is done by generalized history-dependent theory in our work. Further, in our calculation, the reason for the abnormal rise of excess noise factor (ENF) observed in the experiment in single-carrier avalanche photodetectors is clarified.

2D layered photodetectors have been widely researched for intriguing optoelectronic properties but their application fields are limited by the bandgap. Extending the detection waveband can significantly enrich functionalities and applications of photodetectors. For example, after breaking through bandgap limitation, extrinsic Si photodetectors are used for short-wavelength infrared or even long-wavelength infrared detection. Utilizing extrinsic photoconduction to extend the detection waveband of 2D layered photodetectors is attractive and desirable. However, extrinsic photoconduction has yet not been observed in 2D layered materials. Here, extrinsic photoconduction-induced short-wavelength infrared photodetectors based on Ge-based chalcogenides are reported for the first time and the effectiveness of intrinsic point defects are demonstrated. The detection waveband of room-temperature extrinsic GeSe photodetectors with the assistance of Ge vacancies is broadened to 1.6 µm. Extrinsic GeSe photodetectors have an excellent external quantum efficiency (0.5%) at the communication band of 1.31 µm and polarization-resolved capability to subwaveband radiation. Moreover, room-temperature extrinsic GeS photodetectors with a detection waveband to the communication band of 1.55 µm further verify the versatility of intrinsic point defects. This approach provides design strategies to enrich the functionalities of 2D layered photodetectors.

Two-dimensional (2D) materials with excellent optoelectronic properties have attracted tremendous research interest in recent years. The promising performances of photodetectors based on 2D materials, such as ultrafast photoresponse and ultrahigh photoresponsivity, have been demonstrated in the visible to short-wavelength infrared spectrum range (0.8–2 μm). However, high performance, room temperature operation long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) photodetection is challenging. The detectors based on graphene usually exhibit low photoresponsivity due to the low optical absorption and short carrier lifetime. In addition, the relatively large bandgap of transition metal dichalcogenides limited the photoresponse bandwidth. Here, we report a way to fabricate a scalable device array of room-temperature operation LWIR PtSe2-G heterostructure detectors. The photoresponsivity at 10.6 μm up to ∼300 mA/W is obtained. The long-wave infrared light in the pico-watt range could be detected at room temperature by the PtSe2-G heterostructure detector. This result indicates that the PtSe2-G heterostructure device could be a highly competitive candidate for an uncooled LWIR detector. It also opens a way for a scalable array infrared focus plane device for the LWIR image.

We proposed a metamaterial absorber composed of an array of trapezoid multilayered grating Au and InP on top of an opaque substrate, which covers two atmosphere-transparent-window bands with appropriate modulation of geometric parameters. The absorption higher than 0.8 is from 3.5 to 4.8 µm and 7 to 14.3 µm. From the effective medium theory and dispersion relation, the reason of the broad-band absorption is the first and third order slow light effect respectively, which is verified by the electromagnetic and thermal loss distribution further. This absorber may greatly promote the practical application of absorbers in double-color infrared imaging, detecting, infrared stealth and sub-ambient passive radiative cooling by thermal emitting.

Scattering effect of surface plasmon polaritons in two-dimensional material based devices by magnetic fields are analytically studied within the framework of wave optics and plasma model. The theoretical explanation of magnetic scattering and related formulae are provided by considering plasmonic mechanics and solving the equation of motion of electron gas directly. Calculation results illustrating magnetic scattering phenomena are also given by applying an approximation to the first order.

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanosheets have demonstrated outstanding electrical and optical properties, which are well suited for ultraviolet (UV) photodetectors. However, they have a high density of intrinsically unfilled traps, and it is difficult to achieve p-type doping, leading to the poor performance for low light level switching ratio and a high dark current that limit practical applications in UV photodetection. Here, UV photodetectors based on ZnO nanosheets are demonstrated, whose performance is significantly improved by using a ferroelectric localized field. Specifically, the photodetectors have achieved a responsivity of up to 3.8 × 105 A W-1 , a detectivity of 4.4 × 1015 Jones, and a photocurrent gain up to 1.24 × 106 . These device figures of merit are far beyond those of traditional ZnO ultraviolet photodetectors. In addition, the devices' initial dark current can be easily restored after continuous photocurrent measurement by using a positive gate voltage pulse. This study establishes a new approach to produce high-sensitivity and low-dark-current ultraviolet photodetectors and presents a crucial step for further practical applications.

Nanostructured zinc oxide (ZnO) semiconductors have emerged as promising materials for high-performance photodetectors due to their natural direct bandgap and extraordinary physicochemical properties. However, the oxygen vacancy defects of nano-ZnO can easily trap oxygen molecules in air and generate charge transfer at the interface, which induced continuous photoconductance that limited the development and application of ZnO in photodetection. Here, we demonstrate a homojunction ultrathin ZnO nanosheet photodetector with high performance and propose a better dominant photoresponse mechanism of the ZnO nanosheet driven by the charge transfer induced local field. The strong localized electric field significantly accelerates the separation of photo-generated carriers and effectively suppresses the dark current. Thus, the photodetector of the charge transfer induced homojunction exhibits ultralow dark current (10−12 A), ultra-high specific detectivity (up to ∼1014 Jones), and fast rising (300 ms) and decaying times (310 ms), taking advantages of high-performance and fast response speed and subverting the limitation of traditional ZnO photodetectors in the field of application. An easy-fabrication, fast response, and high-performance photodetector proposed here provides a good paradigm for the next-generation photodetectors based on two-dimensional nanostructures.