Graphene/Silicon Junction for High‐performance Photodetectors

Graphene (Gr)-based photodetection is increasingly becoming important for a variety of technologies because Gr absorbs light in a broad range of the light spectrum ranging from ultraviolet (UV) to infrared (IR). Gr integrated with silicon (Si) is perhaps the simplest of the Gr heterojunctions that can be formed for the improvement of the photodetection in Gr. This chapter summarizes some typical photodetectors from the UV to IR wavelength range and introduce hybrid Gr/Si photodetectors. UV detectors are widely used in chemical material analysis, medical, health care, space technology, and so on. Traditionally, wide bandgap semiconductors are used for high-performance UV photodetection. To obtain the broadband response, photodetector devices are coupled/modified with tricchroic prisms, optical filters, and charge coupled devices, which complicates the system and also increases the cost significantly. Since Gr is inherently a broadband absorber, it is considered as a promising material for ultrabroadband photodetector ion.