Graphdiyne-Based Flexible Photodetectors with High Responsivity and Detectivity

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Optoelectronics

Background:

• Graphdiyne (GDY) is a novel 2D carbon allotrope with unique electronic properties.
• GDY's intrinsic bandgap and high carrier mobility make it promising for electronic applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop flexible photoelectrochemical-type photodetectors (PDs) using GDY nanosheets.
• To evaluate the photo-responsive behaviors and stability of GDY-based PDs under mechanical stress.

Main Methods:

• Spin-coating ultrathin GDY nanosheets onto flexible poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) substrates.
• Fabricating GDY-based photodetectors (PDs).
• Conducting Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations to understand GDY's electronic characteristics.

Main Results:

• GDY-based PDs exhibited high photocurrent (5.98 µA cm^{- 2}), photoresponsivity (1086.96 µA W^{- 1}), and detectivity (7.31 × 10¹⁰ Jones).
• The flexible PDs demonstrated excellent long-term stability (>1 month) and maintained performance after 1000 bending/twisting cycles.
• DFT calculations provided insights into GDY's electronic properties and performance enhancement in alkaline electrolytes.

Conclusions:

• Flexible GDY-based PDs offer excellent photo-responsive behavior and mechanical stability.
• The study enriches fundamental understanding of GDY and its potential for flexible optoelectronic devices.
• This work paves the way for developing GDY heterojunction-based photodetection technologies.