Recent advancements in chalcogenide photodetectors: From 3D bulk absorbers to 0D quantum dots

Photodetectors play a vital role in a wide range of applications, from healthcare diagnostics to neuromorphic computing. Among the various material systems explored, chalcogenide-based materials have gained significant attention due to their excellent light-absorbing properties. Traditional three-dimensional (3D) thin films, such as CIGS and CdTe, offer high performance but suffer from drawbacks including toxicity and high manufacturing costs. Two-dimensional (2D) materials, including transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), show promise but often require complex synthesis techniques. Meanwhile, zero-dimensional (0D) quantum dots, especially those made from chalcogenides such as CdS and PbS, exhibit strong light-trapping abilities and tunable properties, making them attractive for low-cost, high-performance photodetectors, although environmental concerns remain for some variants. One-dimensional (1D) chalcogenide nanostructures have also demonstrated enhanced photodetection capabilities. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of chalcogenide-based photodetectors across different dimensional forms, including 3D thin films, 2D materials, 1D nanostructures, and 0D quantum dots. It highlights their performance, key advantages, limitations, and recent trends, including self-powered photodetection and techniques to enhance device performance. Through this discussion, we aim to present the current advancements, identify existing challenges, and outline potential future directions for research in chalcogenide-based photodetectors.