Optimization of Organic Differential Photodetectors for Communications Application

在资助期内，我们进行了研究，以进一步优化我们的有机差分光电探测器，基于金属/绝缘体/绝缘体/金属结构，用于光通信网络。具体地说，我们重点介绍了有机半导体层，它通过绝缘层的电容充放电吸收光信号并将其转换为电信号。以金属萘菁为代表的近红外吸收半导体发色团，应用和发展了分子模板法和溶剂蒸气退火法来控制半导体薄膜的结晶度和结晶取向。通过这些技术，我们提高了光电探测器的品质因数(探测率和带宽)，这是由于通过半导体薄膜改善了电子通信。这项工作目前正在撰写中，准备在不久的将来提交给同行评议的期刊。

Within the funding period, we have conducted research to further optimize our organic differential photodetectors, based on a metal/insulator/insulator/metal structure, for intended use in optical communications networks. Specifically, we have focused on the organic semiconductor layer which acts to absorb light signals and convert them to electrical signals via capacitive charging/discharging of the insulator layer. Using metal naphthalocyanines as representative near infrared absorbing semiconducting chromophores, we have applied and developed the techniques of molecular templating and solvent vapour annealing to control the crystallinity and crystalline orientation of the semiconductor thin films. Through such techniques we have improved the photodetector device figures of merit (detectivity and bandwidth) due to improved electronic communication through the semiconductor thin film. This work is currently being written up to be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal in the near future.