Engineering temperature- and radiation-resistant van der Waals oxide optoelectronics via heteroatom-intercalation

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Optoelectronics
• Solid State Physics

Background:

• Aerospace and deep-space photosensors need radiation and temperature tolerance.
• Material degradation from harsh environments limits current van der Waals crystal applications.
• Interfacial defects and operational instability hinder practical use.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a method for improving two-dimensional wide-bandgap oxide photosensors for extreme environments.
• To enhance the performance and stability of potassium niobate (KNb₃O₈) for harsh conditions.
• To enable solar-blind imaging applications in space.

Main Methods:

• Developed a heteroatom-intercalation approach for two-dimensional potassium niobate (KNb₃O₈).
• Passivated structural defects and induced interface polarization.
• Achieved band structure reconstruction.

Main Results:

• Significantly improved photodetection performance.
• Enabled stable operation from -263.15 °C to 300 °C.
• Demonstrated robust radiation tolerance up to 200 kGy at 6 Gy/s.
• Outperformed existing photosensor systems in harsh environments.

Conclusions:

• Heteroatom intercalation is a viable strategy for defect passivation and performance enhancement.
• The developed KNb₃O₈ exhibits exceptional stability and radiation tolerance.
• This approach offers a promising pathway for designing harsh-environment-resistant optoelectronics.