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High-performance Si/VO2-nanorod heterojunction photodetector based on photothermoelectric effect for detecting human radiation

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Abstract

As a typical candidate of optoelectronic materials, vanadium dioxide (VO2) has wide applications in photodetectors (PDs), but is still challenging in largely enhancing the photodetecting performance for low-power human radiation. Herein, high-performance Si/VO2 nanorods (NRs) heterojunction PDs based on the photothermoelectric (PTE) effect are presented. The uniform VO2-NRs array films were deposited on Si by using magnetron sputtering technique, and a Si/VO2 heterojunctions were fabricated. The device exhibits a four-stage photoresponse and broadband photoresponse from ultraviolet to long-wavelength infrared. Benefited from the unique nanorods structure and the strong PTE effect, the fabricated device exhibits a large enhancement of the photodetecting performance, showing an ultrahigh photodetectivity of 1.6 × 1013 Jones and ultrafast response rates with a rising-edge time of ~ 65.0 μs, three orders of magnitude higher than other VO2-based devices. Furthermore, the device exhibits unique abilities to detect human radiation even when the human fingers are far away from the device surface up to 10.0 cm. Additionally, the fabricated Si/VO2 devices can also be applied as breath sensors to distinguish different breathing patterns. These results supply an effective route to design high-performance photodetectors toward detecting human thermal radiation and respiration.

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摘要

标题: 基于光热电效应的高性能Si/VO2纳米棒异质结光电探测器用于人体辐射探测 作者名:郭付海，郝兰众，于巍茁，李思齐，刘冠初，郝婧怡，刘云杰 作者单位：中国石油大学（华东） 摘要 ：作为一种典型的光电材料，二氧化钒（VO2）在光电探测器（PDs）领域有着广泛的应用，但是在大幅度提高对低功率人体辐射的光探测性能方面仍存在挑战。为此，我们提出了基于光热电（PTE）效应的高性能Si/VO2纳米棒（NRs）异质结PDs。采用磁控溅射技术在Si表面沉积了均匀的VO2-NRs阵列薄膜，并制备了Si/VO2异质结。该器件在紫外到长波红外波段范围内展现出四阶段光响应和宽带光响应特征。得益于独特的纳米棒结构和优异的PTE效应，器件的光探测性能得到了大幅度的提升，具有1.6 × 1013 Jones的超高光探测率和约65.0 μs的超快响应速率，比其它VO2基器件高了约3个数量级。而且，当人的手指远离器件表面高达10.0厘米时，该器件仍表现出出色的探测人体辐射的能力。此外，制备的Si/VO2器件还可以作为呼吸传感器，以区分不同的呼吸模式。这些结果为设计用于探测人体热辐射和呼吸的高性能光电探测器提供了一条有效的途径。

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Acknowledgements

This study was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51972341) and Shandong Natural Science Foundation of China (No. ZR201910220375).

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  1. Fu-Hai Guo and Lan-Zhong Hao have contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Science, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao, 266580, China

    Fu-Hai Guo, Lan-Zhong Hao & Yun-Jie Liu

  2. School of Materials Science and Engineering, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao, 266580, China

    Fu-Hai Guo, Lan-Zhong Hao, Wei-Zhuo Yu, Si-Qi Li, Guan-Chu Liu & Jing-Yi Hao

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  1. Fu-Hai Guo
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Guo, FH., Hao, LZ., Yu, WZ. et al. High-performance Si/VO2-nanorod heterojunction photodetector based on photothermoelectric effect for detecting human radiation. Rare Met. 43, 1177–1185 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12598-023-02497-5

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