Search for: All records

Short-wave infrared (SWIR) light, 0.9–2.5 μm wavelengths, has widespread applications, including inspection processes, nighttime imaging, and machine vision. As such, there is increasing demand for practical and effective SWIR detectors. Many current SWIR photodetectors are based on high-cost materials and require cryogenic cooling. Perovskite materials, including CsPbI3, have been effectively used as photodetectors in the UV to near IR ranges, but their large bandgaps limit their use for lower energy SWIR light. In this report we introduce an all-inorganic perovskite photodetector based on CsPbI3 with heterojunction engineering for efficient and practical detection in the SWIR range at room temperature. The devices undergo a simple, solution-based fabrication process which includes spin-coating under ambient conditions and moderate annealing temperatures. Without additional cooling, the SWIR devices produce excellent results at room temperature with responsivity of 1.65 × 103 A W−1 and a specific detectivity of 8.0 × 1010 Jones under 0.28 mW cm−2 of 1310 nm light and bias of −5 V. This material shows not only high response but also high sensitivity, making it stand out in the field of SWIR photodetection with the additional benefits of low-cost production and room temperature operation. 

The escalating global energy predicament implores for a revolutionary resolution—one that converts sunlight into electricity—holding the key to supreme conversion efficiency. This comprehensive review embarks on the exploration of the principle of generating multiple excitons per absorbed photon, a captivating concept that possesses the potential to redefine the fundamental confines of conversion efficiency, albeit its application remains limited in photovoltaic devices. At the nucleus of this phenomenon are two principal processes: multiple exciton generation (MEG) within quantum-confined environments, and singlet fission (SF) inside molecular crystals. The process of SF, characterized by the cleavage of a single photogenerated singlet exciton into two triplet excitons, holds promise to potentially amplify photon-to-electron conversion efficiency twofold, thereby laying the groundwork to challenge the detailed balance limit of solar cell efficiency. Our discourse primarily dissects the complex nature of SF in crystalline organic semiconductors, laying special emphasis on the anisotropic behavior of SF and the diffusion of the subsequent triplet excitons in single-crystalline polyacene organic semiconductors. We initiate this journey of discovery by elucidating the principles of MEG and SF, tracing their historical genesis, and scrutinizing the anisotropy of SF and the impact of quantum decoherence within the purview of functional mode electron transfer theory. We present an overview of prominent techniques deployed in investigating anisotropic SF in organic semiconductors, including femtosecond transient absorption microscopy and imaging as well as stimulated Raman scattering microscopies, and highlight recent breakthroughs linked with the anisotropic dimensions of Davydov splitting, Herzberg–Teller effects, SF, and triplet transport operations in single-crystalline polyacenes. Through this comprehensive analysis, our objective is to interweave the fundamental principles of anisotropic SF and triplet transport with the current frontiers of scientific discovery, providing inspiration and facilitating future ventures to harness the anisotropic attributes of organic semiconductor crystals in the design of pioneering photovoltaic and photonic devices.