2D material-based infrared photodetectors: recent progress, challenges, and perspectives

Infrared (IR) photodetectors are essential for a wide range of applications, including optical communication, night vision, and environmental monitoring. The advent of 2D materials, which have distinctive layered atomic structures, has opened up new possibilities in the fields of electronics and optoelectronics. Rapid progress regarding developing IR photodetectors that are based on 2D materials highlights their potential to revolutionize this technology. This review comprehensively explores recent advancements in infrared (IR) photodetectors that utilize 2D materials and their van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures to analyze the different detection mechanisms that are employed in IR photodetectors. The review also addresses the crucial performance parameters that define photodetector effectiveness, including responsivity, specific detectivity, and noise characteristics. The various applications of IR photodetectors are also explained, including shortwave infrared light detection for medical imaging, infrared multispectral imaging and high frequency and ultra-fast infrared detection. Furthermore, the review discusses the challenges and future outlook for material and device optimization, which includes strategies for hybrid material integration, noise characterization, and scalable production. By examining key performance metrics and comparing various 2D materials, this review aims to offer a blueprint for advancing infrared photodetection research and development, which ultimately paves the way for low-cost, high-performance, and scalable IR sensing technologies.