Abstract
Combining the strategies of introducing larger heteroatom, regio-regular backbone and extended branching position of side-chain, we developed polymer semiconductors (PPCPD) with narrow band-gap to construct the photosensing layer of thin-film photodiodes and image arrays. The spectral response of the resulting organic photodiodes spans from the near ultra-violet to short-wavelength infrared region. The performance of these short-wavelength infrared photodiodes in 900–1200 nm range achieved a level competitive with that of indium gallium arsenide-based inorganic crystalline detectors, exhibiting a specific detectivity of 5.55×1012 Jones at 1.15 µm. High photodetectivity and quantum efficiency in photodiode with amorphous/nanocrystalline thin-films of 100–200 nm thickness enabled high pixel-density image arrays without pixel-level-patterning in the sensing layer. 1 × 256 linear diode arrays with 25 µm × 25 µm pixel pitch were achieved, enabling high pixel-density short-wavelength infrared imaging at room temperature.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Manna, E.; Xiao, T.; Shinar, J.; Shinar, R. Organic photodetectors in analytical applications. Electronics 2015, 4, 688–722.
Zhu, D.; Ji, D.; Li, L.; Hu, W. Recent progress in polymer-based infrared photodetectors. J. Mater. Chem. C 2022, 10, 13312–13323.
Cao, Y.; Yang, X.; Liu, C.; Huang, F. Application of organic/polymer photodetectors in the medical and healthcare area. Acta Polymerica Sinica (in Chinese) 2022, 53, 307–330.
Ren, H.; Chen, J.; Li, Y.; Tang, J. Recent progress in organic photodetectors and their applications. Adv. Sci. 2021, 8, 2002418.
Yang, W.; Qiu, W.; Georgitzikis, E.; Simoen, E.; Serron, J.; Lee, J.; Lieberman, I.; Cheyns, D.; Malinowski, P.; Genoe, J.; Chen, H.; Heremans, P. Mitigating dark current for high-performance near-infrared organic photodiodes via charge blocking and defect passivation. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2021, 13, 16766–16774.
Pan, Y.; Tao, L.; Gao, J.; He, C.; Liu, Z.; Fang, Y.; Shi, M.; Chen, H. A near-infrared electron acceptor with thieno[3,4-b]thiophene as the core and the related high-performance photodetectors. Acta Polymerica Sinica (in Chinese) 2022, 53, 424–432.
Rob Verger, “Apple’s new face ID system uses a sensing strategy that dates back decades”, Popular Science, Sept. 13, 2017, https://www.popsci.com/apple-face-ID/.
International Electrotechnical Commission, “IEC 60825-1 – Safety of laser products – Part 1: Equipment classification and requirements”, 3.0 edition (2014)).
Fan, D.; Lee, K.; Forrest, S. R. Flexible thin-film InGaAs photodiode focal plane array. ACS Photonics 2016, 3, 670–676.
Hashimoto, T.; Satoh, H.; Fujiwara, H.; Arai, M. A study on suppressing crosstalk through a thick SOI substrate and deep trench isolation. IEEE J. Electron Devices Soc. 2013, 1, 155–161.
Lee, S.; Bashir, R. Modeling and characterization of deep trench isolation structures. Microelectron. J. 2001, 32, 295–300.
Gong, X.; Tong, M.; Xia, Y.; Cai, W.; Moon, J. S.; Cao, Y.; Yu, G.; Shieh, C. L.; Nilsson, B.; Heeger, A. J. High-detectivity polymer photodetectors with spectral response from 300 nm to 1450 nm. Science 2009, 325, 1665–1667.
Wu, Z.; Zhai, Y.; Kim, H.; Azoulay, J. D.; Ng, T. N. Emerging design and characterization guidelines for polymer-based infrared photodetectors. Acc. Chem. Res. 2018, 51, 3144–3153.
Li, Q.; Guo, Y.; Liu, Y. Exploration of near-infrared organic photodetectors. Chem. Mater. 2019, 31, 6359–6379.
Saran, R.; Curry, R. J. Lead sulphide nanocrystal photodetector technologies. Nat. Photon. 2016, 10, 81–92.
Hafiz, S.; Scimeca, M.; Sahu, A.; Ko, D. Colloidal quantum dots for thermal infrared sensing and imaging. Nano Convergence 2019, 6, 1–22.
Gelinck, G. H.; Kumar, A.; van der Steen, J. L.; Shafique, U.; Malinowski, P. E.; Myny, K.; Rand, B. P.; Simon, M.; Rütten, W.; Douglas, A. X-ray imager using solution processed organic transistor arrays and bulk heterojunction photodiodes on thin, flexible plastic substrate. Org. Electron. 2013, 14, 2602–2609.
Tordera, D.; Peeters, B.; Akkerman, H. B.; van Breemen, A. J.; Maas, J.; Shanmugam, S.; Kronemeijer, A. J.; Gelinck, G. H. A highresolution thin-film fingerprint sensor using a printed organic photodetector. Adv. Mater. Technol. 2019, 4, 1900651.
Ng, T. N.; Wong, W. S.; Chabinyc, M. L.; Sambandan, S.; Street, R. A. Flexible image sensor array with bulk heterojunction organic photodiode. Appl. Phys. Lett. 2008, 92, 213303.
Yu, G.; Gao, J.; Hummelen, J. C.; Wudl, F.; Heeger, A. J. Polymer photovoltaic cells: enhanced efficiencies via a network of internal donor-acceptor heterojunctions. Science 1995, 270, 1789–1791.
Yu, G.; Heeger, A. J. Charge separation and photovoltaic conversion with internal donor/acceptor heterojunctions in polymer composites. J. Appl. Phys. 1995, 78, 4510–4515.
Zhong, Z.; Bu, L.; Zhu, P.; Xiao, T.; Fan, B.; Ying, L.; Lu, G.; Yu, G.; Huang, F.; Cao, Y. Dark current reduction strategy via a layer-by-layer solution process for a high-performance all-polymer photodetector. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2019, 11, 8350–8356.
Yang, D.; Ma, D. Development of organic semiconductor photodetectors: from mechanism to applications. Adv. Opt. Mater. 2019, 7, 1800522.
Yu, G.; Srdanov, G.; Wang, H.; Cao, Y.; Heeger, A. J. Photovoltaic cells and photodetectors made with semiconductor polymers: recent progress. Org. Photon. Mater. Devices II 2000, 3939, 118–125.
Gasparini, N.; Gregori, A.; Salvador, M.; Biele, M.; Wadsworth, A.; Tedde, S.; Baran, D.; McCulloch, I.; Brabec, C. Visible and near-infrared imaging with nonfullerene-based photodetectors. Adv. Mater. Technol. 2018, 3, 1800104.
Yu, G.; Wang, J.; McElvain, J.; Heeger, A. J. Large-area, full-color image sensors made with semiconducting polymers. Adv. Mater. 1998, 10, 1431–1434.
Yu, G.; Shieh, C. L.; Xiao, T.; Lee, K.; Foong, F.; Wang, G.; Musolf, J.; Chen, Z.; Chang, F.; Ottosson, K. High throughput motft with organic etch-stopper and sinx gate insulator. SID Symp. Dig. Technol. Pap. 2015, 46, 296–299.
Ying, L.; Huang, F.; Bazan, G. C. Regioregular narrow-bandgap-conjugated polymers for plastic electronics. Nat. Commun. 2017, 8, 1–13.
Ying, L.; Hsu, B. B.; Zhan, H.; Welch, G. C.; Zalar, P.; Perez, L. A.; Kramer, E. J.; Nguyen, T. Q.; Heeger, A. J.; Wong, W. Y. Regioregular pyridal [2,1,3] thiadiazole π-conjueated copolymers. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2011, 133, 18538–18541.
Ming, S.; Zhen, S.; Liu, X.; Lin, K.; Liu, H.; Zhao, Y.; Lu, B.; Xu, J. Chalcogenodiazolo [3,4-c] pyridine based donor-acceptor-donor polymers for green and near-infrared electrochromics. Polym. Chem. 2015, 6, 8248–8258.
Brebels, J.; Klider, K. C.; Kelchtermans, M.; Verstappen, P.; Van Landeghem, M.; Van Doorslaer, S.; Goovaerts, E.; Garcia, J. R.; Manca, J.; Lutsen, L. Low bandgap polymers based on bay-annulated indigo for organic photovoltaics: enhanced sustainability in material design and solar cell fabrication. Org. Electron. 2017, 50, 264–272.
Li, M. J.; Fan, B. B.; Zhong, W. K.; Zeng, Z. M. Y.; Xu, J. K.; Ying, L. Rational design of conjugated polymers for d-limonene processed all-polymer solar cells with small energy loss. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2020, 38, 791–796.
Wang, X.; Gao, S. J.; Han, J. F.; Zhang, Y. L.; Zhang, S.; Qiao, W. Q.; Wang, Z. Y. Effect of 1, 8-diiodooctane content on the performance of P3HT: PC61BM bulk heterojunction photodetectors. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2021, 39, 831–837.
Xie, B.; Zhang, K.; Li, J.; Li, L.; Song, Y.; Cui, N.; Bai, Y.; Huang, F. High-sensitivity visible-blind near-infrared narrowband organic photodetectors realized by controlling trap distribution. Acta Polymerica Sinica (in Chinese) 2022, 53, 414–423.
Gibson, G. L.; Seferos, D. S. P. “Heavy-atom” donor-acceptor conjugated polymers. Macromol. Chem 2014, 215, 811–823.
Sworakowski, J.; Janus, K. On the reliability of determination of energies of HOMO levels in organic semiconducting polymers from electrochemical measurements. Org. Electron. 2017, 48, 46–52.
Pho, T. V.; Toma, F. M.; Tremolet de Villers, B. J.; Wang, S.; Treat, N. D.; Eisenmenger, N. D.; Su, G. M.; Coffin, R. C.; Douglas, J. D.; Fréchet, J. M. Decacyclene triimides: paving the road to universal non-fullerene acceptors for organic photovoltaics. Adv. Energy Mater. 2014, 4, 1301007.
Hamamatsu, G9203-256D, line rate of 1KHz, Selection Guide of InGaAs Photodiodes, p. 6,11&13, April 2021; https://www.ha-mamatsu.com/resources/pdf/ssd/infrared_kird0001e.pdf.
Griffin, D. R.; Hubbard, R.; Wald, G. The sensitivity of the human eye to infra-red radiation. J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 1947, 37, 546–554.
Acknowledgments
This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. U21A6002 and 51933003) and the Basic and Applied Basic Research Major Program of Guangdong Province (No. 2019B030302007).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding authors
Ethics declarations
The authors declare no interest conflict.
Electronic Supplementary Information
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zhong, ZM., Peng, F., Ying, L. et al. Infrared Photodetectors and Image Arrays Made with Organic Semiconductors. Chin J Polym Sci 41, 1629–1637 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10118-023-2973-8
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10118-023-2973-8