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Exploiting the photovoltaic effect in 2D hybrid perovskites

(Nanowerk News) Polarized light detection plays an important role in remote sensing, near-field imaging, communication, and high resolution detectors. However, it remains a great challenge to achieve highly polarization-sensitive photodetection with large polarization ratio base on traditional semiconducting materials due to the limitation of material/device structural anisotropy.
Ferroelectric materials, characterized by switchable electric polarization, inherently feature a highly light-polarization dependent photoresponse (known as bulk photovoltaic effect, BPVE), presenting as promising alternatives in this portfolio.
In a study published in Angewandte Chemie ("Exploiting the Bulk Photovoltaic Effect in a 2D Trilayered Hybrid Ferroelectric for Highly Sensitive Polarized Light Detection"), a research group led by Prof. LUO Junhua from Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter (FJIRSM) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences demonstrated a BPVE-driven highly efficient polarized light detection based on a two-dimensional (2D) trilayered hybrid perovskite ferroelectric.
Bulk Photovoltaic Effect Exploited in 2D Trilayered Hybrid Ferroelectric for Highly Sensitive Polarized Light Detection
Schematic illustration of the strategy. (Image by Prof. LUO’s group)
The researchers found that a polar 2D trilayered perovskite architecture was adopted with a distinct spontaneous polarization of ∼2.8 µC/cm2 and a suitable optical bandgap of ∼2.71 eV. Superior BPVE was shown with a near-bandgap photovoltage of ~ 2.5 V and a high on/off switching ratio of current (∼104).
This angle-dependent photoresponse is ascribed to the inherent light-polarization dependence of superior BPVE, which arises from the optical rectification effect of ferroelectrics upon light irradiation, distinguishing from that of all the known polarized light detectors.
Besides, a polarization ratio was exhibited as high as ∼15, which is far more beyond than those of reported devices based on nanowires and anisotropic 2D materials.
This BPVE-driven polarized light detection is unprecedented, which opens up a new way towards highly efficient polarized light detection by leveraging the light-polarization dependence of the BPVE in 2D multilayered hybrid perovskites.
Source: Chinese Academy of Sciences
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