Integrated Photonic Structure Enhanced Infrared Photodetectors

Abstract

The application fields of infrared photodetectors are quite extensive. Compared with traditional infrared photodetection materials such as IV and III–V semiconductors, newly emerging low‐dimensional materials and quantum materials (e.g., 2D materials and quantum wells) have many advantages in different aspects, such as wide spectral range, low dark current, room temperature operation, and high processing compatibility. However, the performance of photodetectors based on low‐dimensional materials is limited by the ultra small thicknesses, polarization selectivity, and the poor absorption efficiency. Therefore, improving the performance of infrared photodetectors based on low‐dimensional materials has been a focus research task in recent years. The integration of photonic structures can improve the performance of infrared photodetectors, such as enhancing absorption efficiency, reducing the volume of active materials, and increasing polarization selectivity. Herein, different kinds of photonic structure integrated infrared photodetectors, roughly divided into two categories, namely, dielectric photonic structure integrated ones and metallic photonic structure integrated ones, are reviewed. The active materials include 2D materials, quantum wells, quantum dots, and carbon nanotubes.

Keywords

• critical coupling
• infrared photodetectors
• integrated photonic structures
• polarization discrimination
• subwavelength field enhancement