Photodetectors Based on Graphene–Semiconductor Hybrid Structures: Recent Progress and Future Outlook

Abstract

The integration of graphene and semiconductor leverages the distinct advantages of different materials and unleashes promising photoresponse generation phenomena, thereby facilitating the advancement of high-performance photodetectors. Notably, the van der Waals interaction enables the combination of graphene with diverse semiconductors, transcending epitaxial lattice matching limitations and offering unprecedented degrees of freedom in materials selection. Moreover, the ongoing development of growth and transfer techniques has also allowed graphene to be merged into existing mature semiconductor processes for large-area image sensors. Here, a review of graphene–semiconductor hybrid photodetectors is presented, aiming to contribute to the broader understanding of these intriguing devices and inspire further research in this exciting field. Firstly, the working principles and device configurations of the graphene–semiconductor hybrid photodetectors are introduced. Subsequently, recent progress in photodetectors featuring graphene–semiconductor hybrid structures is summarized, which showcases the cutting-edge achievements and breakthroughs. Finally, the remaining challenges in this type of device are analyzed, and future development prospects are also highlighted.