Dynamic Control of High-Range Photoresponsivity in a Graphene Nanoribbon Photodetector

Graphene has been demonstrated to be a promising material for optoelectronics and photodetection devices because of its ultra-broadband optical absorption and high carrier mobility. However, its integration with optoelectronic systems has been limited by the zero-bandgap and the lack of a gain mechanism. Herein, we demonstrate a novel photodetector based on the graphene nanoribbons (GRNs) with a sizable bandgap. Utilizing trapping charge at the interface between SiO₂ and light-doped silicon, an ultrahigh gain of 22,400 has been obtained. Our devices show an enhanced photoresponsivity (~ 800 AW^-1) while the response speed is still fast (up to 10 μs). This photoresponsivity is about two orders of magnitude higher compared to that of a previous graphene-based photodetector. The photodetector exhibits a wide-range tunability via source-drain bias and back gate voltage. Our work addresses key challenges for the photodetectors and potentially provides the desired pathway toward practical application of graphene photodetectors that can be externally manipulated by an electric field with fast response speed and high sensitivity.