Unlocking high-performance near-infrared photodetection: polaron-assisted organic integer charge transfer hybrids

Abstract Room temperature femtowatt sensitivity remains a sought-after attribute, even among commercial inorganic infrared (IR) photodetectors (PDs). While organic IR PDs are poised to emerge as a pivotal sensor technology in the forthcoming Fourth-Generation Industrial Era, their performance lags b...

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Main Authors: Muhammad Ahsan Iqbal, Xueqian Fang, Yasir Abbas, Xiaoliang Weng, Tingchao He, Yu-Jia Zeng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Publishing Group 2024-12-01
Series:Light: Science & Applications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41377-024-01695-9
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author Muhammad Ahsan Iqbal
Xueqian Fang
Yasir Abbas
Xiaoliang Weng
Tingchao He
Yu-Jia Zeng
author_facet Muhammad Ahsan Iqbal
Xueqian Fang
Yasir Abbas
Xiaoliang Weng
Tingchao He
Yu-Jia Zeng
author_sort Muhammad Ahsan Iqbal
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Room temperature femtowatt sensitivity remains a sought-after attribute, even among commercial inorganic infrared (IR) photodetectors (PDs). While organic IR PDs are poised to emerge as a pivotal sensor technology in the forthcoming Fourth-Generation Industrial Era, their performance lags behind that of their inorganic counterparts. This discrepancy primarily stems from poor external quantum efficiencies (EQE), driven by inadequate exciton dissociation (high exciton binding energy) within organic IR materials, exacerbated by pronounced non-radiative recombination at narrow bandgaps. Here, we unveil a high-performance organic Near-IR (NIR) PD via integer charge transfer between Poly[2,5-bis(3-tetradecylthiophen-2-yl)thieno[3,2-b]thiophene] (C-14PBTTT) donor (D) and Tetrafluorotetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQF4) acceptor (A) molecules, showcasing strong low-energy subgap absorptions up to 2.5 µm. We observe that specifically, polaron excitation in these radical and neutral D-A blended molecules enables bound charges to exceed the Coulombic attraction to their counterions, leading to an elevated EQE (polaron absorption region) compared to Frenkel excitons. As a result, our devices achieve a high EQE of ∼107%, femtowatt sensitivity (NEP) of ~0.12 fW Hz-1/2 along a response time of ~81 ms, at room temperature for a wavelength of 1.0 µm. Our innovative utilization of polarons highlights their potential as alternatives to Frenkel excitons in high-performance organic IR PDs.
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spelling doaj-art-7dac77221f4547a7bdbc37ebb7511a712025-08-20T01:56:46ZengNature Publishing GroupLight: Science & Applications2047-75382024-12-0113111210.1038/s41377-024-01695-9Unlocking high-performance near-infrared photodetection: polaron-assisted organic integer charge transfer hybridsMuhammad Ahsan Iqbal0Xueqian Fang1Yasir Abbas2Xiaoliang Weng3Tingchao He4Yu-Jia Zeng5School of Environment and Civil Engineering, Dongguan University of TechnologySchool of Environment and Civil Engineering, Dongguan University of TechnologySchool of Mechanical Engineering, Dongguan University of TechnologyShenzhen Key Laboratory of Laser Engineering, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen UniversityShenzhen Key Laboratory of Laser Engineering, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen UniversityShenzhen Key Laboratory of Laser Engineering, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen UniversityAbstract Room temperature femtowatt sensitivity remains a sought-after attribute, even among commercial inorganic infrared (IR) photodetectors (PDs). While organic IR PDs are poised to emerge as a pivotal sensor technology in the forthcoming Fourth-Generation Industrial Era, their performance lags behind that of their inorganic counterparts. This discrepancy primarily stems from poor external quantum efficiencies (EQE), driven by inadequate exciton dissociation (high exciton binding energy) within organic IR materials, exacerbated by pronounced non-radiative recombination at narrow bandgaps. Here, we unveil a high-performance organic Near-IR (NIR) PD via integer charge transfer between Poly[2,5-bis(3-tetradecylthiophen-2-yl)thieno[3,2-b]thiophene] (C-14PBTTT) donor (D) and Tetrafluorotetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQF4) acceptor (A) molecules, showcasing strong low-energy subgap absorptions up to 2.5 µm. We observe that specifically, polaron excitation in these radical and neutral D-A blended molecules enables bound charges to exceed the Coulombic attraction to their counterions, leading to an elevated EQE (polaron absorption region) compared to Frenkel excitons. As a result, our devices achieve a high EQE of ∼107%, femtowatt sensitivity (NEP) of ~0.12 fW Hz-1/2 along a response time of ~81 ms, at room temperature for a wavelength of 1.0 µm. Our innovative utilization of polarons highlights their potential as alternatives to Frenkel excitons in high-performance organic IR PDs.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41377-024-01695-9
spellingShingle Muhammad Ahsan Iqbal
Xueqian Fang
Yasir Abbas
Xiaoliang Weng
Tingchao He
Yu-Jia Zeng
Unlocking high-performance near-infrared photodetection: polaron-assisted organic integer charge transfer hybrids
Light: Science & Applications
title Unlocking high-performance near-infrared photodetection: polaron-assisted organic integer charge transfer hybrids
title_full Unlocking high-performance near-infrared photodetection: polaron-assisted organic integer charge transfer hybrids
title_fullStr Unlocking high-performance near-infrared photodetection: polaron-assisted organic integer charge transfer hybrids
title_full_unstemmed Unlocking high-performance near-infrared photodetection: polaron-assisted organic integer charge transfer hybrids
title_short Unlocking high-performance near-infrared photodetection: polaron-assisted organic integer charge transfer hybrids
title_sort unlocking high performance near infrared photodetection polaron assisted organic integer charge transfer hybrids
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41377-024-01695-9
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