Ultraviolet-enhanced photodetection in a graphene/SiO2/Si capacitor structure with a vacuum channel

Abstract

We report photodetection properties of a graphene/oxide/silicon capacitor structure with a nanoscale vacuum channel. The photogenerated two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) inversion charges at SiO2/Si interface are extracted out to air and transported along the void channel at low bias voltage (<5 V). A monolayer graphene, placed on top of SiO2 and suspended on the void channel, is utilized as a photon-transparent counter-electrode to the 2DEG layer and a collector electrode for the out-of-plane transported electrons, respectively. The photocurrent extracted through a void channel reveals high responsivity (1.0 A/W at 633 nm) as measured in a broad spectral range (325–1064 nm), especially demonstrating a UV-enhanced performance (0.43 A/W responsivity and 384% internal quantum efficiency at 325 nm). The mechanisms underlying photocarrier generation, emission, and transport in a suspended-graphene/SiO2/Si structure are proposed.