By Pranjal Malewar 27 Dec, 2024
Collected at: https://www.techexplorist.com/breakthrough-short-wave-infrared-detection/95110/
A team of researchers led by Professor Zhang Zhiyong at Peking University has developed a groundbreaking short-wave infrared (SWIR) detector that achieves exceptional sensitivity and high photo again, enabling the detection of starlight. The new technology, a heterojunction-gated field-effect transistor (HGFET), demonstrates a specific detectivity exceeding 10¹⁴ Jones at 1300 nm, setting a new standard in infrared detection.
Why It Matters:
Highly sensitive SWIR detectors are crucial for passive imaging systems in applications like night vision and environmental monitoring, where detecting weak infrared radiation is essential. Current SWIR detectors, based on epitaxial photodiodes, struggle to detect ultra-weak infrared radiation due to their lack of inherent gain, making them unsuitable for tasks such as starlight detection.
The new HGFET technology fills this gap by offering ultra-high photogain and exceptionally low noise levels, making it highly efficient at detecting faint infrared signals.
Innovative Design:
The team developed the HGFET by integrating a colloidal quantum dot (CQD)–based p-i-n heterojunction with a carbon nanotube (CNT) field-effect transistor. This hybrid design amplifies SWIR signals with high inherent gain while keeping noise levels minimal. As a result, the device achieves a specific detectivity of over 10¹⁴ Jones at 1300 nm, with a maximum gain-bandwidth product of 69.2 THz.
Starlight Detection: The HGFET’s sensitivity is exceptional. It can detect weak infrared radiation at levels as low as 0.46 nW cm⁻². This makes it far more sensitive than current commercial SWIR detectors, enabling applications such as starlight detection and vision in extremely low-light conditions.
Significance:
CMOS Compatibility: The HGFET’s fabrication process is highly compatible with standard CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) technology, which allows it to be easily integrated into existing readout circuits. This compatibility could lead to the development of advanced, low-cost, passive night vision image sensors for use in various applications, from security and defense to environmental monitoring.
Potential for Future Technologies: This breakthrough opens up possibilities for next-generation optoelectronic circuits and monolithically integrated systems that are high-resolution, highly sensitive, and cost-effective. Such systems could have a transformative impact on fields like astronomy, surveillance, and autonomous vehicles.
Research Support: This project was funded by the Natural Science Foundation of China and the Peking Nanofab Laboratory, underscoring the strong institutional backing for cutting-edge research in optoelectronics.
Journal Reference:
- Shaoyuan Zhou, Xinyue Zhang et al. Opto-Electrical Decoupled Phototransistor for Starlight Detection. Advanced Materials. DOI: 10.1002/adma.202413247
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