High-performance Optoelectronics Research Articles

Achieving High Responsivity and Detectivity in a Quantum-Dot-in-Perovskite Photodetector.

This work reports on quantum dots (QDs) in perovskite photodetectors showing high optoelectronic performance via quantum-dot-assisted charge transmission. The self-powered broad-band photodetector constructed with SnS QDs in FAPb0.5Sn0.5I3 perovskite can capture incoming optical signals directly at zero bias. The QDs-in-perovskite photodetector exhibits a high sensitivity in the wavelength range from 300 to 1000 nm. Its responsivity at 850 nm reaches 521.7 mA W-1, and a high specific detectivity of 2.57 × 1012 jones can be achieved, which is well beyond the level of previous self-powered broad-band photodetectors. The capability of quantum-dot-in-perovskite photodetectors as data receivers has been further demonstrated in a visible-light communication application.

Enhanced gain and detectivity of unipolar barrier solar blind avalanche photodetector via lattice and band engineering

Ga2O3-based solar blind avalanche photodetectors exhibit low voltage operation, optical filter-free and monolithic integration of photodetector arrays, and therefore they are promising to be an alternative to the bulky and fragile photomultiplier tubes for weak signal detection in deep-ultraviolet region. Here, by deliberate lattice and band engineering, we construct an n-Barrier-n unipolar barrier avalanche photodetector consisting of β-Ga2O3/MgO/Nb:SrTiO3 heterostructure, in which the enlarged conduction band offsets fortify the reverse breakdown and suppress the dark current while the negligible valance band offsets faciliate minority carrier flow across the heterojunction. The developed devices exhibit record-high avalanche gain up to 5.9 × 105 and detectivity of 2.33 × 1016 Jones among the reported wafer-scale grown Ga2O3-based photodetectors, which are even comparable to the commercial photomultiplier tubes. These findings provide insights into precise manipulation of band alignment in avalanche photodetectors, and also offer exciting opportunities for further developing high-performance Ga2O3-based electronics and optoelectronics.

Effective carrier doping and quantum capacitance manipulation of graphene through two-dimensional solid electrolytes of ScI3 and YBr3

Effective carrier doping would be expected to enhance the electrical conductivity and further improve the quantum capacitance (Cq) of graphene. In this work, two-dimensional solid electrolytes of ScI3 and YBr3 as buffer layers have been proposed to modulate the carrier density and improve the Cq. By using first-principles calculations, the effective carrier doping has been examined by building heterostructures of graphene/ScI3 and graphene/YBr3 combined with Li, Na, K, Ca, F dopants. The n-type doping with electron density and p-type doping with hole density of graphene reach up to 1.14 × 1014 cm−2 and 6.66 × 1013 cm−2, respectively. Remarkably, the linear band dispersions of graphene are maintained near the Dirac point. Moreover, the Cq is significantly increased around the zero bias due to the increased density of states near the Fermi level. For Li-, Na-, K-, and Ca-doped systems, the Cq in the negative bias region is effectively enhanced while the Cq is improved in the positive bias region for F-doped system. These results provide an ideal route to implement the effective carrier doping and the Cq manipulation of graphene, facilitating the applications of graphene as electrodes in high-performance optoelectronics and energy storage devices, such as light-emitting diodes, solar cells and supercapacitors.

RGB‐Color Textile‐Based Flexible and Transparent OLEDs Considering Aesthetics (Adv. Mater. Interfaces 2/2023)

Textile Displays In article number 2202114, Junwoo Lee, Kyung-Cheol Choi, and colleagues develop textile-based RGB-color transparent organic light-emitting diodes (trOLEDs) with high opto-electronic performance and mechanical reliability to improve the aesthetics of textile displays. In addition, by presenting a new optical analysis method that considers the special characteristics of textile-based trOLEDs, it is demonstrated that flexible optimization of textile trOLEDs in terms of aesthetic factors is possible.

Solar-blind avalanche photodetector based on epitaxial Ga2O3/La0.8Ca0.2MnO3 pn heterojunction with ultrahigh gain

Ga2O3-based avalanche photodetectors (APDs) have gained increasing attention because of their excellent photoelectric conversion capability in the UV solar-blind region. Integrating high-quality epitaxial Ga2O3 with p-type semiconductor remains an open challenge associated with the integration difficulty on alleviating its defects and dislocations. Herein, we construct an APD consisting of epitaxial β-Ga2O3/La0.8Ca0.2MnO3 heterostructure. The pn junction APDs exhibit a high responsivity of 568 A/W as well as an enhanced avalanche gain of up to 3.0×105 at a reverse bias voltage of 37.9 V. The integration capability demonstrated in this work provides exciting opportunities for further development of high-performance Ga2O3-based electronics and optoelectronics.

A High-Performance MoS2-Based Visible-Near-Infrared Photodetector from Gateless Photogating Effect Induced by Nickel Nanoparticles.

Recent advancements in two-dimensional materials have shown huge potential for optoelectronic applications. It is challenging to achieve highly effective and sensitive broadband photodetection based on MoS2 devices. Defect engineering, such as introducing vacancies, can narrow the bandgap and boost the separation of photogenerated carriers by defect states but leads to a slow response speed. Herein, we propose a nickel nanoparticle-induced gateless photogating effect with a unique energy band structure to enable the application of defect engineering and achieve high optoelectronic performance. The device based on Ni nanoparticle-decorated MoS2 with S vacancies exhibited high responsivities of 106.21 and 1.38 A W-1 and detectivities of 1.9×1012 and 8.9×109 Jones under 532 and 980 nm illumination (visible to near infrared), respectively, with highly accelerated response speed. This strategy provides new insight into optimizing defect engineering to design high-performance optoelectronic devices capable of broadband photodetection.

Wafer-scale detachable monocrystalline germanium nanomembranes for the growth of III-V materials and substrate reuse.

Germanium (Ge) is increasingly used as a substrate for high-performance optoelectronics, photovoltaics, and electronic devices. These devices are usually grown on thick and rigid Ge substrates manufactured by classical wafering techniques. Nanomembranes (NMs) provide an alternative to this approach while offering wafer-scale lateral dimensions, weight reduction, waste limitation, and cost effectiveness. Herein, we introduce the Porous germanium Efficient Epitaxial LayEr Release (PEELER) process, which consists of the fabrication of wafer-scale detachable Ge NMs on porous Ge (PGe) and substrate reuse. We demonstrate the growth of Ge NMs with monocrystalline quality as revealed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) characterization. Together with the surface roughness below 1 nm, it makes the Ge NMs suitable for growth of III-V materials. Additionally, the embedded nanoengineered weak layer enables the detachment of the Ge NMs. Finally, we demonstrate the wet-etch-reconditioning process of the Ge substrate, allowing its reuse, to produce multiple free-standing NMs from a single parent wafer. The PEELER process significantly reduces the consumption of Ge in the fabrication process, paving the way for a new generation of low-cost flexible optoelectronic devices.

Ternary diagrams of phase, stability, and optical properties of cesium lead mixed-halide perovskites

Cesium lead halides have been intensively studied as promising light absorption and emission materials. However, the complexity and instability of their phases has prevented a comprehensive investigation of the structural and optical properties of Cs-based mixed halides over a broad range of mixing ratios. Herein, we derive the ternary diagrams of phase, optical bandgap, and photoluminescence intensity of cesium lead halide perovskites (CsPbX3), with three vertices of CsPbI3, CsPbBr3 and CsPbCl3. For material property tests, mixed halide perovskite powders are synthesized using a facile solid-state reaction method. The orthorhombic perovskite (γ) phase, which is desired for photovoltaic and optoelectronic applications, is successfully obtained by quenching the powders from 350 °C to room temperature. By comparing the phase diagrams of as-ball-milled and heat-treated powders, we report a single-phase region (γ-phase) and a multi-phase region (I-rich and Cl-rich γ-phases). In aged powders having single-phase compositions, Cl-rich compositions presented considerably higher phase stability than I-rich ones. In the single-phase region, the lattice constant increases and optical bandgap decreases almost linearly with increase in average size of X-site ions, as per Vegard's law with extremely small bowing parameters (< 0.1 Å). Therefore, one can easily design an infinite number of composition combinations in the single-phase boundary to achieve a desired bandgap in the range of 1.73–2.96 eV. Ternary maps of photoluminescence intensity demonstrate potential compositions for high-performance optoelectronics. Our results provide a valuable database for developing desirable perovskite compositions for various optoelectronic applications.

Bandgap engineering of high mobility two-dimensional semiconductors toward optoelectronic devices

Over the last few years, great advances have been achieved in exploration of high-mobility two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors such as metal chalcogenide InSe and noble-transition-metal dichalcogenide PdSe2. These materials are competitive candidates for constructing next-generation optoelectronic devices owing to their unique crystalline and electronic structures. Moreover, the optical and electronic properties of 2D materials can be efficiently modified via precisely engineering their band structures, which is critical for widening specific applications ranging from high-performance optoelectronics to catalysis and energy harvesting. In this review, we focus on the progress in bandgaps engineering of newly emerging high-mobility 2D semiconductors and their applications in optoelectronic devices, incorporating our recent study in the InSe and PdSe2 systems. First of all, we discuss the structure-property relationship of typical high-mobility 2D semiconductors (InSe and PdSe2). Next, we analyze several viable strategies for bandgap engineering, including thickness, strain or pressure, alloying, heterostructure, surface modification, intercalation, and so on. Furthermore, we summarize the optoelectronic devices fabricated with such high-mobility 2D semiconductors. The conclusion and outlook in this topic are finally presented. This review aims to provide valuable insights in bandgap engineering of newly emerging 2D semiconductors and explore their potential in future optoelectronic applications.

Frenkel Excitons in Vacancy-Ordered Titanium Halide Perovskites (Cs2TiX6)

Low-cost, nontoxic, and earth-abundant photovoltaic materials are long-sought targets in the solar cell research community. Perovskite-inspired materials have emerged as promising candidates for this goal, with researchers employing materials design strategies including structural, dimensional, and compositional transformations to avoid the use of rare and toxic elemental constituents, while attempting to maintain high optoelectronic performance. These strategies have recently been invoked to propose Ti-based vacancy-ordered halide perovskites (A2TiX6; A = CH3NH3, Cs, Rb, or K; X = I, Br, or Cl) for photovoltaic operation, following the initial promise of Cs2SnX6 compounds. Theoretical investigations of these materials, however, consistently overestimate their band gaps, a fundamental property for photovoltaic applications. Here, we reveal strong excitonic effects as the origin of this discrepancy between theory and experiment, a consequence of both low structural dimensionality and band localization. These findings have vital implications for the optoelectronic application of these compounds while also highlighting the importance of frontier-orbital character for chemical substitution in materials design strategies.

(Invited, Digital Presentation) Vertical Heterogeneous Integration of Metal Halide Perovskite Quantum-Wires/Nanowires for Flexible Narrowband Photodetectors

Charge collection narrowing (CCN) has been reported to be an efficient strategy to achieve optical filter-free narrowband photodetection (NPD) with metal halide perovskite (MHP) single crystals. However, the necessity of utilizing thick crystals in CCN limits their applications in large scale, flexible, self-driven, and high-performance optoelectronics. Here, for the first time, we fabricate vertically integrated MHP quantum wire/nanowire (QW/NW) array-based photodetectors in nanoengineered porous alumina membranes (PAMs) showing self-driven broadband photodetection (BPD) and NPD capability simultaneously. Two cutoff detection edges of the NPDs are located at around 770 and 730 nm, with a full-width at half-maxima (fwhm) of around 40 nm. The optical bandgap difference between the NWs and the QWs, in conjunction with the high carrier recombination rate in QWs, contributes to the intriguing NPD performance. Thanks to the excellent mechanical flexibility of the PAMs, a flexible NPD is demonstrated with respectable performance. Our work here opens a new pathway to design and engineer a nanostructured MHP for novel color selective and full color sensing devices. Figure 1

Tunable, stable, and reversible n-type doping of MoS2 via thermal treatment in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone

Here, we report a highly stable and reversible n-type doping of monolayer MoS2 using thermal treatment in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP). The Raman and photoluminescence spectroscopic measurements as well as the device performance of the MoS2 transistors suggested a stronger n-type doping effect with increasing time and temperature of the thermal treatment in NMP. Within the given time (5–60 min) and temperature (50 °C–110 °C), the surface treatment in NMP provided an electron concentration from 6 × 1010 to 2 × 1012 cm−2. Owing to the n-type doping effect, the thermal treatment in NMP reduced the contact resistance and enhanced the field-effect mobility of the MoS2 transistors. The n-type doping via thermal treatment in NMP remained effective for more than 12 months in ambient air, and could be completely removed after immersion in isopropanol. These results demonstrate that thermal treatment in NMP can be a facile and effective route to achieve stable and reversible doping of two-dimensional materials including MoS2 for their applications in high-performance electronics and optoelectronics.

Evaluation of the influence of thermal annealing on the performance of vertical topological insulator p-n heterojunction broadband photodetector

The rapid progress and continuum search for new broadband photodetectors generation with ultrafast response synchronizes with the conductive surface electronic structure and the strong broadband absorption properties of 3D topological insulators. Here, we introduce the fabrication of a vertical p-n heterojunction based on thermally evaporated thin films of Sb2Te3/Bi2Te3 on Si substrate for broadband photodetection. The realization of these characteristics dictated us to study the structural, optical absorption, and morphological properties of each layer in the fabricated device as a function of annealing temperature using XRD, spectrophotometric measurements, and FE-SEM techniques, respectively. The annealing process up to T = 423 K enhanced the film’s crystallinity, and grain growth process besides improving the film quality and surface roughness. Furthermore, the optoelectronic characterizations showed that all fabricated photodetectors exhibit a good response to halogen light illumination in the wavelength range (310–1100) nm with different intensities (10–50) mW/cm2. Whilst the 423 K annealed photodetector showed the highest photosensitivity with a conspicuous stable and fast response. The main device parameters, including spectral responsivity, specific detectivity, and response times were determined in addition to explaining the forward and reverse bias conduction mechanisms. The estimated spectral responsivity of the fabricated devices was about 0.247, 0.397, and 0.148 A/W for the as fabricated and 423 K and 573 K, respectively. This significant improvement of the device’s performance rather than other topological insulator devices may be due to the strong built-in field at the topological insulators’ interfaces. Moreover, the fabricated photodetectors showed improved and repeatable ON/OFF transient switching behavior with 85.23 ms and 84.66 ms as a rise and fall time, respectively. According to the prominent results in addition to the simple architecture of the fabricated photodetectors, this topological insulator photosensor can be considered a potential candidate in prospective high-performance optoelectronics.

A polymer electrolyte design enables ultralow-work-function electrode for high-performance optoelectronics

Ambient solution-processed conductive materials with a sufficient low work function are essential to facilitate electron injection in electronic and optoelectronic devices but are challenging. Here, we design an electrically conducting and ambient-stable polymer electrolyte with an ultralow work function down to 2.2 eV, which arises from heavy n-doping of dissolved salts to polymer matrix. Such materials can be solution processed into uniform and smooth films on various conductors including graphene, conductive metal oxides, conducting polymers and metals to substantially improve their electron injection, enabling high-performance blue light-emitting diodes and transparent light-emitting diodes. This work provides a universal strategy to design a wide range of stable charge injection materials with tunable work function. As an example, we also synthesize a high-work-function polymer electrolyte material for high-performance solar cells.

Photoinduced Small Hole Polarons Formation and Recombination in All-Inorganic Perovskite from Quantum Dynamics Simulation.

We conducted ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) and nonadiabatic MD to simulate polaron formation and recombination in all-inorganic Cs3Bi2Br9 perovskite. The meticulously designed AIMD simulations show that two types of small hole polaron, including localized and semidelocalized small hole polaron on either an intralayer or an interlayer Br dimer, are adiabatically formed within 1.71 ps. The localized small hole polaron reduces nonadiabatic coupling and decoherence time and, thus, delays charge recombination to 213 ns. In contrast, the dominant semidelocalized polaron increases nonadiabatic coupling by enhancing electron-hole overlap and restores the energy gap and decoherence time to the pristine system, accelerating recombination to 4.7 ns compared to a 10 ns charge carrier lifetime in the pristine system. All the obtained time scales agree well with experiments. The study offers a fundamental understanding of the excited-state dynamics of small hole polaron in Cs3Bi2Br9 and helps to design high-performance perovskite optoelectronics and photovoltaics.

Electrode transfer method toward high-performance interfaces and devices

High-quality electrode/semiconductor interfaces are essential for high-performance electronics and optoelectronics but remain challenging. A graphene-assisted metal transfer printing strategy, recently reported in <i>Nature Electronics</i> by Di and colleagues, has outlined wafer-scale van der Waals integration of two-dimensional semiconductors and metal electrodes.

Heterogeneous Integration of III-V Materials by Direct Wafer Bonding for High-Performance Electronics and Optoelectronics

Heterogeneous Integration of III-V Materials by Direct Wafer Bonding for High-Performance Electronics and Optoelectronics

High ambipolar mobility in cubic boron arsenide revealed by transient reflectivity microscopy.

Semiconducting cubic boron arsenide (c-BAs) has been predicted to have carrier mobility of 1400 square centimeters per volt-second for electrons and 2100 square centimeters per volt-second for holes at room temperature. Using pump-probe transient reflectivity microscopy, we monitored the diffusion of photoexcited carriers in single-crystal c-BAs to obtain their mobility. With near-bandgap 600-nanometer pump pulses, we found a high ambipolar mobility of 1550 ± 120 square centimeters per volt-second, in good agreement with theoretical prediction. Additional experiments with 400-nanometer pumps on the same spot revealed a mobility of >3000 square centimeters per volt-second, which we attribute to hot electrons. The observation of high carrier mobility, in conjunction with high thermal conductivity, enables an enormous number of device applications for c-BAs in high-performance electronics and optoelectronics.

Photoluminescence quenching of CVD grown WS2 monolayers treated with low-power Ar plasma

Defect engineering in two-dimensional materials is of high importance to improve a specific property of such materials. By introducing defects directly in the lattice, by means of ion doping or vacancies, it is possible to optimize the structure for a target application, such as high-performance batteries, catalysis, or optoelectronics. Herein, monolayer WS2 was synthesized by chemical vapor deposition and was subsequently subjected to Ar plasma treatment. The changes in properties were monitored using Raman spectroscopy, photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy. The influence of defects resulted in a variation in the intensity of the PL signal, as well as a progressive redshift owing to an increase in the defect density with increasing plasma treatment time, and through the analysis of the PL and Raman spectra one can quantify the evolution of defects in the WS2 monolayers due to the treatment.

Organic light‐emitting fibers and fabrics for truly wearable smart displays: Recent progress and future opportunities

AbstractSmart displays have been integrated into our daily life, providing new concepts of interconnections between humans and interactivity with close collaboration between users. As a centerpiece of this integration, textile displays that can be worn like clothes are being intensively developed and are poised to provide a more intimate and closer connection. Among various light sources that have been used in the field of textile displays, organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs) have attracted considerable attention as one of the promising candidates for realizing truly wearable textile displays (i.e., wearing displays) in that they have shown the highest level of technical maturity, including high optoelectronic performance and flexibility, which can provide not only clear visual information and versatility regardless of the surrounding environment but have also been industrially proven. This review introduces the recent progress in OLED‐based textile displays and related technologies, with the discussion of challenges and limitations of the fiber‐ and fabric‐based approaches. Additionally, specific opinions are provided on research opportunities for organic light‐emitting textile displays, which can contribute to realizing truly wearable textile displays with a complete platform in the future.