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Lead Selenide Thin Films Designed for Laser Sensing and Visible Light Communications

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Abstract

Herein thin films of PbSe are coated onto amorphous glass, amorphous silicon (a−Si) and crystalline n−type Si (n−Si) wafers by the thermal evaporation technique under a vacuum pressure of 10−5 mbar. The films are structurally, morphologically, compositionally, optically and electrically characterized. Strong effect of the nature (amorphous or crystalline) and type (Si or glass) of the substrate on the physical properties of lead selenide films is detected. Of these properties the crystallite sizes decreased and the microstrain, the stacking faults and defect density increased and the energy band gap is blue shifted when (a, n)-Si substrates replaces glass. In addition, the use of crystalline n−Si substrates instead of a−Si removed the free carrier absorption from a−Si/ p−PbSe improving the quantum efficiency of the devices. Opto-electronically, n−Si/p−PbSe films showed photosensor characteristics that suit both visible light and infrared technology applications. The photosensors displayed high current responsivity, external quantum efficiency percentages and response times reaching respective values of 1.4 A/W, 172% and 60 μs. In addition, the n−Si/p−PbSe photosensors which were used as detectors to receive wireless light signals generated from light pulses of 10 kHz frequencies showed smart features nominating them as promising devices for laser sensing and visible light communication technology.

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Data Availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

This work was funded by the University of Jeddah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, under grant No. (UJ-22-DR-99). The authors, therefore, acknowledge with thanks the University of Jeddah for its technical and financial support.

Funding

This work was funded by the University of Jeddah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, under grant No. (UJ-22-DR-99). The authors, therefore, acknowledge with thanks the University of Jeddah for its technical and financial support.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

    Najla M. Khusayfan & Seham R. Alharbi

  2. Department of Physics, Arab American University, Jenin, Palestine

    A. F. Qasrawi

  3. Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Istinye University, 34,010, Istanbul, Turkey

    A. F. Qasrawi

  4. Department of Computer Systems Engineering, Arab American University, Jenin, Palestine

    Hazem K. Khanfar

Authors
  1. Najla M. Khusayfan
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  2. A. F. Qasrawi
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  3. Hazem K. Khanfar
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  4. Seham R. Alharbi
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Contributions

Prof. Najla have shared in the review article collection, wins the fund, analyzed the X-ray data in Fig. 1a and measured the illuminated current-voltage characteristics. Prof. Seham calculated the responsivity and external quantum efficiency and commented them. Prof. Hazem Khanfar partially guided the work, measured the dark I-V data and analyzed or shared analyses of the data in all figures. Qasrawi AF edited the article explained the results and mainly guided the work.

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Correspondence to A. F. Qasrawi.

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Khusayfan, N.M., Qasrawi, A.F., Khanfar, H.K. et al. Lead Selenide Thin Films Designed for Laser Sensing and Visible Light Communications. Silicon 15, 6971–6979 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12633-023-02554-9

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