Review article on figures of merit of 2D photodetectors

A review article in Nature Communications by Wang et al. (Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics) discusses techniques for characterizing 2D photodetectors.

Full paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-37635-1

Abstract: Photodetectors based on two-dimensional (2D) materials have been the focus of intensive research and development over the past decade. However, a gap has long persisted between fundamental research and mature applications. One of the main reasons behind this gap has been the lack of a practical and unified approach for the characterization of their figures of merit, which should be compatible with the traditional performance evaluation system of photodetectors. This is essential to determine the degree of compatibility of laboratory prototypes with industrial technologies. Here we propose general guidelines for the characterization of the figures of merit of 2D photodetectors and analyze common situations when the specific detectivity, responsivity, dark current, and speed can be misestimated. Our guidelines should help improve the standardization and industrial compatibility of 2D photodetectors. 

Device effective area

a Photoconductive photodetector. b Planar junction photodetector. c, d Vertical junction photodetectors with zero and reverse bias, respectively. e Focal plane photodetector. The dashed blue lines in a–e are suggested accurate effective areas. The dashed orange lines in b, d, and e are potential inaccurate effective areas for respective types. f Field intensity of the Gaussian beam with the beam waist w0 = 2.66 μm, here BP represents black phosphorus. g Wave optics simulation result of the electric field distribution at the upper surface of the device with plane wave injected. h Calculated absorption with the Gaussian beam with the beam waist w0 = 2.66 μm multiplying the wave optics simulation profile shown in (g).

 

Responsivity

a Monochromatic laser source measurement system, where the laser spot intensity follows the Gaussian distribution. b Relative intensity of the edge of the spot under the researcher’s estimation. The inset shows three spots with the same beam waist and color limit, the only difference of which is the beam intensity. with different intensities and the same beam waist. The estimated radius of spot size shows vast differences. c Laser spot size and power calibration measurement system. d Photon composition of blackbody radiation source, and the radiation distribution in accordance with Planck’s law. e Typical response spectrum of photon detector and thermal detector. The inset shows a diagram of the blackbody measurement system. f Schematic diagram of FTIR measurement system.

Dark current

a Typical dark current mechanism, the dashed lines, filled and empty circles and arrows represent quasi-fermi level, electrons, holes, and carrier transport direction. b Characterization and analysis of dark current for UV-VIS photodetectors. The solid red line is the Id–V characteristic curve measured with a typical VIS photodetector. The green, dark blue, orange, and light blue dashed lines represent the fitted current components of generation-recombination, band-to-band tunneling, diffusion, and trap-assisted tunneling with analytic model. c Dominant dark current for typical photovoltaic photodetectors at different temperatures. d Characterization and analysis of dynamic resistance for infrared photodetectors. The solid red line is the Rd–V characteristic curve measured with a typical infrared photodetector. The orange, green, light blue, and dark blue dashed lines represent the fitted current components of diffusion, generation-recombination, trap-assisted tunneling, and band-to-band tunneling with analytic model. e Dynamic resistance of typical photovoltaic photodetectors at different temperatures.

Other noise sources

a Noise and responsivity characteristics for photodetectors with different response bandwidths for single detection (the blue line represents the typical responsivity curve of photodetectors of high response bandwidth, the green line represents the typical responsivity curve of photodetectors of low response bandwidth, and the red line represents the typical noise characteristics. The vertical dashed lines represent the −3 dB bandwidth for photodetectors with high and low response bandwidth). b Overestimation of specific detectivity based on noise characteristics for single detection. The solid and dashed lines present the calculated specific detectivity with D∗=RAdΔfin from the measured noise and estimated noise of thermal noise and shot noise (ignoring the 1/f noise and g-r noise). c Noise and responsivity characteristics for photodetectors of imaging detection. d Overestimation of specific detectivity based on noise characteristics for imaging detection. The solid and dashed lines present the calculated specific detectivity with D∗=RAdfB∫0fBindf from the measured noise and estimated noise of thermal noise and shot noise (ignoring the 1/f noise and g-r noise).

 

Time parameters

a Calculated fall time does not reach a stable value which is inaccurate, where τf′ is inaccurate calculated fall time, τf is accurate calculated fall time. (The bule line represents the square signal curve, the yellow line represents the typical response curve of 2D photodetectors.) b Response time measurement of photodetector may not reach a stable value under pulse signal, which will lead to an inaccurate result. The inset shows pulse signal. The τr is inaccurate calculated rise time. c Variation of photocurrent and responsivity of photoconductive photodetectors with the incident optical power density14. d Rise and fall response time of photodetector should be calculated from a complete periodic signal. e Typical −3 dB bandwidth response curve of photodetector, where R0 represents stable responsivity value, fc represents the −3 dB cutoff frequency. f Gain-bandwidth product of various photodetectors, where photo-FET is photo-field-effect transistor, PVFET is photovoltage field-effect transistor14.

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