Colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) provide wide spectral tunability and high absorption coefficients owing to quantum confinement and large oscillator strengths, which along with solution processability, allow a facile, low-cost, and room-temperature deposition technique for the fabrication of photonic devices. However, many solution-processed CQD photodetector devices demonstrate low specific-detectivity and slow temporal response. To achieve improved photodetector characteristics, limiting carrier recombination and enhancing photogenerated carrier separation are crucial. In this study, we develop and present an alternate vertical-stack photodetector wherein we use a solution-processed quantum dot photoconversion layer coupled to an amorphous selenium (a-Se) wide-bandgap charge transport layer that is capable of exhibiting single-carrier hole impact ionization and is compatible with active-matrix readout circuitry. This a-Se chalcogenide transport layer enables the fabrication of high-performance and reliable solution-processed quantum dot photodetectors, with enhanced charge extraction capabilities, high specific detectivity (D* ∼ 0.5–5 × 1012 Jones), fast 3 dB electrical bandwidth (3 dB BW ∼ 22 MHz), low dark current density (JD ∼ 5–10 pA/cm2), low noise current (in ∼ 20–25 fW/Hz1/2), and high linear dynamic range (LDR ∼ 130–150 dB) across the measured visible electromagnetic spectrum (∼405–656 nm).
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Coupling of Infrared Active Colloidal Quantum Dots and Amorphous Selenium for Fast and Sensitive Photodetection
Abstract Colloidal quantum dot (CQD) based infrared (IR) photodetectors offer facile wavelength tunability in the IR and low‐cost fabrication. However, owing to their large surface areas, CQDs intrinsically have significant surface traps critically affecting the speed of CQD photodetectors, typically mediated through tedious surface passivation efforts. In this report, an alternative strategy involving coupling of near‐IR photoactive lead sulfide CQDs with a thermally evaporated amorphous selenium (a‐Se) hole transport layer is proposed. By separating the detector into a photon absorbing CQD region and a charge transport a‐Se region, the study takes advantage of the extremely low noise, predominantly hole‐only transport process in a‐Se. A high 3 dB bandwidth of 2.5 MHz and a competitive specific detectivity of 2.5 × 1011Jones at room temperature are demonstrated at 980 nm. This report serves as a first demonstration of strong coupling between an IR active CQD absorber and a‐Se, which paves the path to obtain fast and highly photoresponsive IR photodetection in the future.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2048397
- PAR ID:
- 10522941
- Publisher / Repository:
- Wiley
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Advanced Functional Materials
- ISSN:
- 1616-301X
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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