Self-powered, superior high gain silicon-based near-infrared photosensing for low-power light communication

• Published in: Nano energy 2020-04, Vol.70, p.104544, Article 104544
• Main Authors: Wang, Baoyu, Zhu, Yu, Dong, Jianqi, Jiang, Jian, Wang, Qiao, Li, Shuti, Wang, Xingfu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Light communication; Near-infrared; Pyro-phototronic effect; Quantum tunneling; Self-powered photodetector; Silicon
• ISSN: 2211-2855
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nanoen.2020.104544

Although Silicon (Si) is the cornerstone of state-of-the-art integrated circuit, Si photonics still suffer many challenges regarding low-power consumption, high-integrated and miniaturization. Herein, by combining the pyro-phototronic effect and quantum tunneling effect, we develop a self-powered Si-based near-infrared (NIR) photodetector (PD) with ultrafast response-speed, high gain and excellent wavelength selectivity. The fabricated p-Si/Al2O3/n-ZnO NWs heterojuncted NIR PD exhibits a superior photoresponsivity up to 0.41 A W−1 and detectivity higher than 3.68 × 1012 Jones, with the photoresponse time as low as 15 μs. These results are much better than most of the previously reported NIR PDs based on semiconductor nanowires and even other emerging two-dimensional (2D) materials. Furthermore, the fabricated NIR PD is then used as a self-powered signal receiver to construct a low-power NIR light communication system that can decode and transmit the encoded NIR signals from a commercial remote controller. This work not only provides in-depth understandings about the pyro-phototronic effect and quantum tunneling effect in Si-based heterojuncted structures, but also indicates their potential applications in low-power communication systems. In this work, a self-powered near-infrared photodetector with high gain is fabricated by introducing the pyro-phototronic effect, which has potential applications in low power-consumption light communications. [Display omitted] •The pyro-phototronic effect and quantum tunneling effect are combined to fabricate a near-infrared photodetector (NIR PD).•The fabricated NIR PD exhibits superior high gain and ultrafast response speed.•The NIR PD is then used in a low-power light communication system.