Photodetectors Based on Emerging Materials

Abstract

Photodetectors that convert light into electrical signals have become an indispensable element for a large number of technologies to enable extensive applications, ranging from optical communications to advanced imaging and motion detection, to automotive industry particularly including self-driving cars, and to astronomy and space exploration under harsh environment. The present photodetector market is predominated by silicon (CMOS-based) photodetectors. With the continuous growth of application areas, highly desired are photodetectors of higher performance in terms of speed, efficiency, detectable wavelength range, and integrability with semiconductor technology. These necessitate the development of new photodetectors based on special materials, rather than the conventional silicon single crystals, as building blocks for various advanced photodetection platforms. To this end, we summarize in this chapter the recent status of advanced photodetectors based on the emerging material, graphene. Our discussion includes the performance metrics, working mechanisms, practical implementation, as well as opportunities and challenges, for graphene-based photodetectors.