JNCASR Researchers Invent Economical, Energy-Efficient Wafer-Scale Photodetector

The researchers from Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), a multidisciplinary research institute, have invented a cost-efficient and energy-efficient wafer-scale photodetector, which is capable of detecting weak scattered light.

This is a thin slice-based photodetector, which uses gold – silicon interface, designed mainly for security applications, to track unwanted activity.

Prototype Shows How Tiny Photodetectors Can Double Their Efficiency

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This research of India’s JNCASR scientists was also published in the journal Applied Electronic Materials of the American Chemical Society.

Photodetectors are used in a wide variety of applications ranging from controlling automatic lighting, detecting radiation, as well as security applications. However, higher material cost and intricate fabrication processes involved in realizing high-performance detectors make them unaffordable for normal applications.

Significantly, this new invention by Indian scientists can provide a simple and cost-effective solution-based fabrication method for high-performance photodetector.

Its speciality is that this is a solution-based technique and its method is highly cost-effective and enabled large-area fabrication without compromising the detector response. Also, it is quick in process and will take only minutes to fabricate a detector of any arbitrary area. By using commonly available protective coating, it also provides long-term environmental stability with enhanced performance under harsh conditions for several days.

Besides, it exhibits a rapid response of 40 microseconds and can detect low light intensities. Moreover, the device covers a broad spectral range from Ultraviolet to Infrared.

Furthermore, it shows excellent uniformity throughout the entire active area with less than 5 percent variation in response.

Significantly, this is an energy-efficient device as it does not require external power for its operations and will work in self-powered mode.

Meanwhile, this photodetector can be used as a prototype imaging system, lux and power meter, and also as a tool for security applications.