NewsPhysics

Researchers have developed new uncooled mid-infrared (MIR) photodetectors that overcome the limitations of current devices. These photodetectors, based on van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures combining HgCdTe (MCT) with graphene, achieve high detectivity and low dark current at room temperature. This breakthrough is crucial for applications such as night vision, gas detection, and spectroscopy, where current systems require cryogenic cooling, increasing cost and complexity.

The key to performance lies in the synergistic suppression of dark current and interfacial recombination. The integration of graphene into the vdW heterostructure enables efficient charge transfer and energy band modulation, significantly reducing the dark current. Furthermore, the clean and well-defined interface between vdW materials minimizes defects and trap states, which in turn reduces carrier recombination and improves the device's quantum efficiency.

“Researchers have developed new uncooled mid-infrared (MIR) photodetectors that overcome the limitations of current devices.”