Bipolar-barrier tunnel heterostructures for high-sensitivity mid-wave infrared photodetection
Abstract The rapid development of modern infrared optoelectronic technology has driven a growing demand for high-sensitivity mid-wave infrared (MWIR) photodetectors capable of reliable room-temperature operation. Achieving optimal specific detectivity, a critical performance metric for MWIR photodet...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Publishing Group
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Light: Science & Applications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41377-025-01905-y |
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| author | Fakun Wang Song Zhu Wenduo Chen Ruihuan Duan Tengfei Dai Hui Ma Congliao Yan Shi Fang Jianbo Yu Yue Zhang Qikan Dong Wenjie Deng Zheng Liu Qi Jie Wang |
| author_facet | Fakun Wang Song Zhu Wenduo Chen Ruihuan Duan Tengfei Dai Hui Ma Congliao Yan Shi Fang Jianbo Yu Yue Zhang Qikan Dong Wenjie Deng Zheng Liu Qi Jie Wang |
| author_sort | Fakun Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The rapid development of modern infrared optoelectronic technology has driven a growing demand for high-sensitivity mid-wave infrared (MWIR) photodetectors capable of reliable room-temperature operation. Achieving optimal specific detectivity, a critical performance metric for MWIR photodetection, remains challenging due to inherent limitations imposed such as high dark current, low optical absorption, or both. To address these challenges, we present an approach based on a bipolar-barrier architecture featuring a black phosphorus (BP)/MoTe2/BP tunnel heterostructure integrated with an Au reflector. This configuration delivers simultaneous electrical and optical enhancement, effectively suppressing dark currents and significantly increasing optical absorption. The bipolar-barrier structure minimizes dark current by blocking thermally excited and bias-induced carrier leakage, while facilitating efficient tunneling of photogenerated carriers via trap-assisted photogating mechanisms. In addition, the Au reflector enhances optical absorption through interference effects. As a result, the heterostructure achieves remarkable performance metrics, including a room-temperature specific detectivity of ∼3.0 × 1010 cm Hz0.5 W−1, a high responsivity of ∼4 A W−1, and an external quantum efficiency of ∼140% within the MWIR range. These results establish the bipolar-barrier tunnel heterostructure as a highly efficient platform, paving the way for the next generation of advanced infrared optoelectronic devices. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c8db357055e542a9a204c38ea351ac1d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2047-7538 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Nature Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Light: Science & Applications |
| spelling | doaj-art-c8db357055e542a9a204c38ea351ac1d2025-08-20T03:43:30ZengNature Publishing GroupLight: Science & Applications2047-75382025-07-0114111010.1038/s41377-025-01905-yBipolar-barrier tunnel heterostructures for high-sensitivity mid-wave infrared photodetectionFakun Wang0Song Zhu1Wenduo Chen2Ruihuan Duan3Tengfei Dai4Hui Ma5Congliao Yan6Shi Fang7Jianbo Yu8Yue Zhang9Qikan Dong10Wenjie Deng11Zheng Liu12Qi Jie Wang13School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological UniversitySchool of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological UniversitySchool of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological UniversitySchool of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological UniversitySchool of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological UniversitySchool of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological UniversitySchool of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological UniversitySchool of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological UniversitySchool of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological UniversitySchool of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological UniversitySchool of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological UniversityKey Laboratory of Optoelectronics Technology, Ministry of Education, School of Information Science and Technology, Beijing University of TechnologySchool of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological UniversitySchool of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological UniversityAbstract The rapid development of modern infrared optoelectronic technology has driven a growing demand for high-sensitivity mid-wave infrared (MWIR) photodetectors capable of reliable room-temperature operation. Achieving optimal specific detectivity, a critical performance metric for MWIR photodetection, remains challenging due to inherent limitations imposed such as high dark current, low optical absorption, or both. To address these challenges, we present an approach based on a bipolar-barrier architecture featuring a black phosphorus (BP)/MoTe2/BP tunnel heterostructure integrated with an Au reflector. This configuration delivers simultaneous electrical and optical enhancement, effectively suppressing dark currents and significantly increasing optical absorption. The bipolar-barrier structure minimizes dark current by blocking thermally excited and bias-induced carrier leakage, while facilitating efficient tunneling of photogenerated carriers via trap-assisted photogating mechanisms. In addition, the Au reflector enhances optical absorption through interference effects. As a result, the heterostructure achieves remarkable performance metrics, including a room-temperature specific detectivity of ∼3.0 × 1010 cm Hz0.5 W−1, a high responsivity of ∼4 A W−1, and an external quantum efficiency of ∼140% within the MWIR range. These results establish the bipolar-barrier tunnel heterostructure as a highly efficient platform, paving the way for the next generation of advanced infrared optoelectronic devices.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41377-025-01905-y |
| spellingShingle | Fakun Wang Song Zhu Wenduo Chen Ruihuan Duan Tengfei Dai Hui Ma Congliao Yan Shi Fang Jianbo Yu Yue Zhang Qikan Dong Wenjie Deng Zheng Liu Qi Jie Wang Bipolar-barrier tunnel heterostructures for high-sensitivity mid-wave infrared photodetection Light: Science & Applications |
| title | Bipolar-barrier tunnel heterostructures for high-sensitivity mid-wave infrared photodetection |
| title_full | Bipolar-barrier tunnel heterostructures for high-sensitivity mid-wave infrared photodetection |
| title_fullStr | Bipolar-barrier tunnel heterostructures for high-sensitivity mid-wave infrared photodetection |
| title_full_unstemmed | Bipolar-barrier tunnel heterostructures for high-sensitivity mid-wave infrared photodetection |
| title_short | Bipolar-barrier tunnel heterostructures for high-sensitivity mid-wave infrared photodetection |
| title_sort | bipolar barrier tunnel heterostructures for high sensitivity mid wave infrared photodetection |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41377-025-01905-y |
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