Self-Powered and Broadband Photodetectors Based on High-performance Mixed Dimensional Sb2O3/PdTe2/Si Heterojunction for Multiplex Environmental Monitoring.

Solar-blind ultraviolet (SBUV) to near-infrared (NIR) broadband photodetectors (BB-PD) have important applications in environmental monitoring and other applications. However, it is challenging to prepare SBUV-IR photosensitive materials via simple steps and to construct SBUV-IR broadband devices for multiplex detection with high sensitivity at different wavelengths. Here, self-powered and broadband photodetectors using a high-performance mixed dimensional Sb2O3 nanorod 1-dimension (1D)/monodisperse microdiamond-like PdTe2 3-dimension (3D)/Si (3D) heterojunction for multiplex detection of environmental pollutants with high sensitivity at broadband wavelength are developed. The 1D/3D mixed dimensional Sb2O3/PdTe2/Si structure combines the advantages of strong light absorption, high carrier transport efficiency of 1D Sb2O3 nanorods, and expansion of interface barrier caused by 3D microdiamond-like PdTe2 interlayer to improve the photocurrent density and self-powered ability. The efficient photogenerated charge separation enables anon/off ratio of more than 5 × 106. The device exhibits excellent photoelectric properties from 255 to 980 nm with the responsivity from 4.56 × 10-2 to 6.55 × 10-1 AW-1, the detectivity from 2.36 × 1012 to 3.39 × 1013 Jones, and the sensitivity from 3.90 × 107 to 1.10 × 1010 cm2 W-1 without external bias. Finally, the proposed device is applied for the multiplex monitoring of environmental pollution gases NO2 with the detection limit of 200 ppb and PM2.5 particles at mild pollution at broadband wavelength. The proposed BB-PD has great potential for multiplex detection of environmental pollutants and other analytes at broadband wavelength.

Fractal spiral zone plate with high-order harmonics suppression.

We extend the concept of fractal spiral zone plates and define a new family of Cantor sequence spiral zone plates (CSSZPs) by removing the interference of high-order harmonics. In this typical design, apart from combining the spiral zone plates and Cantor fractal structure together, the desired physical properties have been realized by using a two-parameter modified sinusoidal apodization window along the azimuthal direction to eliminate the high-order harmonics. Numerical simulation reveals that the intensity of high diffraction orders of the CSSZPs can be effectively suppressed by at least 3 orders of magnitude, while the shapes of the sequences of focused optical vortices surrounding the first primary focal length are maintained, similar to those of the fractal spiral zone plates. The demonstration experiment, based on a spatial light modulator, has been also carried out to confirm the desired characteristics. This new kind of diffractive elements may offer potential alternatives for 3D optical tweezers, optical imaging, and lithography.

Fractal spiral zone plates.

We present diffractive optical elements with an extended depth of focus, namely, fractal spiral zone plates (FSZPs), which combine a fractal structure and spiral zone plates (SZPs) to generate a sequence of coaxial vortices in the focal volume along the propagation direction. The axial irradiance of the FSZPs is examined both experimentally and in a simulation and is compared with that of SZPs and that of fractal zone plates. The focusing properties of the FSZPs with different parameters are investigated, and a potential application to edge-enhancement images is also shown.

Characterization of the focusing performance of axial line-focused spiral zone plates.

Axial line-focused spiral zone plates were developed for operation at optical wavelengths. The design, fabrication, and diffraction properties of the proposed element are presented. Numerical results showed that hollow beams could be generated, and that the element can be employed for a multi-wavelength operation. The hollow beam within the focal depth was demonstrated experimentally, using a charge-coupled device camera and sliding guide. The results were consistent with those obtained by the simulations. The proposed optical device exhibits significant potential for various applications including optical manipulation and lithography.

Focusing single-order diffraction transmission grating with a focusing plane perpendicular to the grating surface.

By combining the single-order dispersion properties of quasi-sinusoidal single-order diffraction transmission gratings (QSTG) and the single-foci focusing properties of annulus-sector-shaped-element binary Gabor zone plate (ASZP), we propose a novel focusing single-order diffraction transmission grating (FSDTG). Different from the diffraction patterns of a normal transmission grating (TG), it has a focusing plane perpendicular to the grating surface. Numerical simulations are carried out to verify its diffraction patterns in the framework of Fresnel-Kirchhoff diffraction. Higher-order diffraction components of higher harmonics can be effectively suppressed by the FSDTG we designed. And we find that the focal depth and resolving power are only determined by the structure parameters of our FSDTG by theoretical estimations.

Realization of a flat-response photocathode for x-ray streak cameras.

We present a novel photocathode which can make x-ray streak cameras to be of a flat spectral response in the x-ray energy range of 0.1-5 keV. The photocathode consists of two layers of gold foils with optimized thickness ratio and structures. The photocathode was calibrated, and it is shown that a flat spectral response has been achieved.

Single-order diffraction grating designed by trapezoidal transmission function.

Diffraction grating is a widely used dispersion element in spectral analysis from the infrared to the x-ray region. Traditionally, it has a square-wave transmission function, suffering from high-order diffraction contamination. Single-order diffraction can be achieved by sinusoidal amplitude transmission grating, but the fabrication is difficult. Here, we propose a novel idea to design a grating based on trapezoidal transmission function, which makes traditional grating a special case. Grating designed by this idea can not only suppress higher order diffraction by several orders of magnitude as sinusoidal amplitude grating does but also greatly reduce the fabrication difficulty to the level of processing for traditional grating. It offers a new opportunity for fabrication of grating with single-order diffraction and measurement of spectrum without contamination of high-order harmonic components. This idea can easily extend to varied-line-space grating, concave grating with single-order diffraction, or zone plates with single foci and will bring great changes in the field of grating applications.

Self-Powered and Broadband Bismuth Oxyselenide/p-Silicon Heterojunction Photodetectors with Low Dark Current and Fast Response.

Inorganic nanomaterials such as graphene, black phosphorus, and transition metal dichalcogenides have attracted great interest in developing optoelectronic devices due to their efficient conversion between light and electric signals. However, the zero band gap nature, the unstable chemical properties, and the low electron mobility constrained their wide applications. Bismuth oxyselenide (Bi2O2Se) is gradually showing great research significance in the optoelectronic field. Here, we develop a bismuth oxyselenide/p-silicon (Bi2O2Se/p-Si) heterojunction and design a self-powered and broadband Bi2O2Se/p-Si heterojunction photodetector with an ultrafast response (2.6 µs) and low dark current (10-10 A without gate voltage regulation). It possesses a remarkable detectivity of 4.43 × 1012 cm Hz1/2 W-1 and a self-powered photoresponse characteristic at 365-1550 nm (ultraviolet-near-infrared). Meanwhile, the Bi2O2Se/p-Si heterojunction photodetector also shows high stability and repeatability. It is expected that the proposed Bi2O2Se/p-Si heterojunction photodetector will expand the applications of Bi2O2Se in practical integrated circuits in the field of material science, energy development, optical imaging, biomedicine, and other applications.

Quasi-sinusoidal single-order diffraction transmission grating used in x-ray spectroscopy.

A novel design of quasi-sinusoidal single-order diffraction transmission grating (QSTG) is proposed, which can achieve a line density up to thousands line/millimeter as that of traditional transmission gratings with the current level of nanofabrication technique. We fabricate a 1000 line/mm QSTG using the new design approach, and display the calibration results of such QSTG on the soft x-ray beam of synchrotron radiation.

Characterization of the diffraction properties of quantum-dot-array diffraction grating.

A new dispersive element named as quantum-dot-array diffraction grating [L. F. Cao, China patent No. 200410081499 (August 10, 2004)] for visible light has been developed and characterized experimentally. A large number of quantum dots distributed on a substrate as sinusoidal function can be used to diffract x rays without higher-order diffraction. The experimental patterns show that the higher-order diffractions which inevitably exist in the spectrum recorded using traditional diffraction gratings can be eliminated effectively by this newly designed element. It indicates that quantum-dot-array diffraction grating could be an attractive alternative of presently used diffraction grating in soft x-ray spectroscopy application to get rid of the higher-order diffraction distortions.

Quantum-dot-array diffraction grating with single order diffraction property for soft x-ray region.

A gold transmission grating is used routinely to disperse the x-ray spectrum at the Z soft x-ray facility to measure the spectrum and temporal history of the absolute soft x-ray power emitted from z-pinch and hohlraum radiation sources. A quantum-dot-array diffraction grating (QDADG) of 250 lines/mm for soft x-ray is designed and fabricated for the first time according to the principle of binary sinusoidal transmission grating. The diffraction efficiencies of the grating are measured in the 150-300 eV photon energy range on the Beamline 3W1B of Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility. This article describes the basic concept and calibration techniques and presents calibration results. It is shown that the 250 lines/mm QDADG can be used to disperse light without higher-order diffractions in soft x-ray range, and the diffraction efficiencies of this grating are nearly constant (about 25%), which is beneficial in the spectrum analysis.

Phase-type quantum-dot-array diffraction grating.

A novel phase-type quantum-dot-array diffraction grating (QDADG) is reported. In contrast to an earlier amplitude-type QDADG [C. Wang et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 78, 053503 (2007)], the new phase-type QDADG would remove the zeroth order diffraction at some certain wavelength, as well as suppressing the higher-order diffractions. In this paper, the basic concept, the fabrication, the calibration techniques, and the calibration results are presented. Such a grating can be applied in the research fields of beam splitting, laser probe diagnostics, and so on.