Nature Communications (Jun 2023)

Long-wave infrared photothermoelectric detectors with ultrahigh polarization sensitivity

  • Mingjin Dai,
  • Chongwu Wang,
  • Bo Qiang,
  • Yuhao Jin,
  • Ming Ye,
  • Fakun Wang,
  • Fangyuan Sun,
  • Xuran Zhang,
  • Yu Luo,
  • Qi Jie Wang

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-39071-7
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 14, no. 1
pp. 1 – 11

Abstract

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Abstract Filter-free miniaturized polarization-sensitive photodetectors have important applications in the next-generation on-chip polarimeters. However, their polarization sensitivity is thus far limited by the intrinsic low diattenuation and inefficient photon-to-electron conversion. Here, we implement experimentally a miniaturized detector based on one-dimensional tellurium nanoribbon, which can significantly improve the photothermoelectric responses by translating the polarization-sensitive absorption into a large temperature gradient together with the finite-size effect of a perfect plasmonic absorber. Our devices exhibit a zero-bias responsivity of 410 V/W and an ultrahigh polarization ratio (2.5 × 104), as well as a peak polarization angle sensitivity of 7.10 V/W•degree, which is one order of magnitude higher than those reported in the literature. Full linear polarimetry detection is also achieved with the proposed device in a simple geometrical configuration. Polarization-coded communication and optical strain measurement are demonstrated showing the great potential of the proposed devices. Our work presents a feasible solution for miniaturized room-temperature infrared photodetectors with ultrahigh polarization sensitivity.