Bidirectional mid-infrared communications between two identical macroscopic graphene fibres

Bo Fang,Huan Hu,Srikrishna Chanakya Bodepudi,Jianhang Lv,Yang Xu,Sichao Du,Jie Zhong,Dan Chang,Haiming Zhu,Zhen Xu,Chao Gao,Xinyu Liu,Weiwei Gao,Feng Tian

doi:10.1038/s41467-020-20033-2

Bo Fang, Huan Hu + Show 12 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-20033-2

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Abstract

Among light-based free-space communication platforms, mid-infrared (MIR) light pertains to important applications in biomedical engineering, environmental monitoring, and remote sensing systems. Integrating MIR generation and reception in a network using two identical devices is vital for the miniaturization and simplification of MIR communications. However, conventional MIR emitters and receivers are not bidirectional due to intrinsic limitations of low performance and often require cryogenic cooling. Here, we demonstrate that macroscopic graphene fibres (GFs) assembled from weakly-coupled graphene layers allow room-temperature MIR detection and emission with megahertz modulation frequencies due to the persistence of photo-thermoelectric effect in millimeter-length and the ability to rapidly modulate gray-body radiation. Based on the dual-functionality of GFs, we set up a system that conducts bidirectional data transmission by switching modes between two identical GFs. The room-temperature operation of our systems and the potential to produce GFs on industrial textile-scale offer opportunities for simplified and wearable optical communications.

Highlights

Among light-based free-space communication platforms, mid-infrared (MIR) light pertains to important applications in biomedical engineering, environmental monitoring, and remote sensing systems
Meters-long graphene fibres (GFs) (Fig. 1a) with ~50 μm diameter are prepared from continuously assembled wet-spun graphene oxide (GO) films using homemade twist-draw equipment[17] (Supplementary Fig. 1), on the same scale as producing yarns or threads from cotton in the textile industry[18]
The quality of graphene sheets in GFs is verified with the high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HR-TEM) in Fig. 1g, the negligible characteristic Raman defect peak (D band, Fig. 2d and Supplementary Fig. 2), and the sharp reflection peak at 26.89° in X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra (Fig. 1h)

Summary

Introduction

Among light-based free-space communication platforms, mid-infrared (MIR) light pertains to important applications in biomedical engineering, environmental monitoring, and remote sensing systems. GF exhibits the responsivity of up to 0.67 A W−1 in the wavelength range 2–10 μm (Fig. 2c and Supplementary Fig. 7a–h), superior to other room-temperature MIR detectors such as quantum dots[30], black arsenic phosphorus[31], hybrid graphene/ Si32 or Ge photodetectors[33], as well as photodetectors based on CNTs34.

Results

Conclusion