JNCASR scientists fabricate energy-efficient photodetector for security application
- Scientists from Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) have fabricated an economical and energy-efficient wafer-scale photodetector (thin slice-based).
- This invention was published in the journal Applied Electronic Materials of the American Chemical Society as it provides a simple and cost-effective solution-based fabrication method for high-performance photodetector.
FEATURES OF WAFER-SCALE PHOTODETECTOR
- This has been made using gold – silicon interface, for security applications.
- It could help detect weak scattered light as an indication of unwanted activity.
- The scientists have fabricated gold (Au)– silicon (n-Si) interface, which showed high sensitivity towards light demonstrating the photodetection action.
- In addition, a nanostructured Au film also was deposited on top of p-type silicide (having an excess of positive charges), which acts as a charge collector.
- Being a solution-based technique, the method is highly economical and enabled large-area fabrication without compromising the detector response.
- The process is quick, taking only minutes to fabricate a detector of any arbitrary area.
- The metal nanostructures enhanced the performance of the fabricated detector through trapping the incoming light.
- This photodetector displayed long-term environmental stability.
- The detector exhibits a rapid response of 40microseconds and can detect low light intensities
ABOUT PHOTODETECTORS
- Photodetectors are the heart of any optoelectronic circuit that can detect light.
- They are employed for a wide variety of applications ranging from controlling automatic lighting in supermarkets to detecting radiation from outer galaxy as well as security-related applications.
- The material cost and the intricate fabrication processes involved in realizing high-performance detectors make them unaffordable for day to day applications.
PROTOTYPE SECURITY SYSTEM
- The scientists also demonstrated the photodetector’s utility as a prototype imaging system, lux and power meter, and also as a tool for security applications.
- In the prototype, inside the model house, a fabricated detector was mounted beside a high-value commercial detector for comparison and connected to same external circuit to trigger warning lights (blue lights in the image) and security buzzer.
- The door is opened to allow only weak scattered light as a sign of unwanted activity.
- With such low level of lighting, not detectable by the human eye, the fabricated detector was activated, turning on the buzzer and the lights.
ABOUT JNCASR
- Established by the Department of Science and Technology of the Government of India, to mark the birth centenary of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.
- Founder-CN Rao
- Location-Bangalore
- Established-1989
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