Photo-sensitive Structures with Cascade Radiation Concentrators Based on Colloidal Quantum Dots of Metal Chalcogenides

Abstract

Introduction . The problem of increasing the efficiency of existing photodetectors and creating their new types attracts much research attention. Among new photodetector types are photosensitive structures based on cascade concentrators, whose operational principle involves the absorption of optical radiation followed by its reemission at a longer wavelength and radiation concentration onto a highly efficient small-area photodetector. The absorption and re-emission spectra of each cascade layer depend on the characteristics of the material used. Сolloidal quantum dots are among the most promising materials for cascade layers due to their manufacturing technology, which provides for accurate control over the photoluminescence maximum position. It seems highly relevant to develop and to study photosensitive structures with cascade concentrators of various shapes based on CdS, CdSe/ZnS, and PbS colloidal quantum dots. Aim . To develop photosensitive structures with a wide-range sensitivity spectrum based on concentrators containing arrays of metal chalcogenide CQDs and to study their characteristics. Materials and methods . Cascade photosensitive structures were manufactured based on layers made of polymethyl methacrylate and layers of colloidal quantum dots embedded in a polystyrene matrix. Results . Three-layer concentrators were manufactured with different colloidal quantum dots in each concentrator layers. A 22 % increase in the output power was observed for a three-layer cascade structure based on different cascade layer materials compared to a similar structure using a single layer concentrator. Conclusion . The conducted studies showed an increase in the efficiency of photosensitive structures with a cascade concentrator based on colloidal quantum dots of various types (CdS, CdSe/ZnS, and PbS) in the cascade layers.