Solution Processable Wide Band Gap Perovskites for Photodetectors
Abstract
Detection of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) involving radiological materials is necessary in arbitrary locations and detection equipment may need to be deployed temporarily and quickly. Because WMDs can be transported by various means, e.g. cars, air, people, sensor networks that cover large areas are essential, but must not be cost prohibitive such that there is a question of deployment or not. A challenge is to devise novel sensor devices that can be produced at very low cost without sacrificing electronic performance. Radiological materials emit light at energies that is difficult to detect directly using common photosensors. To detect high energy radiation, e.g. gamma radiation or X-rays, materials call scintillators are used. Scintillators absorb convert high energy photons into many lower energy photons into the range detectable by many types of photosensors. Efficient detection requires high sensitivity photosensors due to the relatively low level of light emitted by WMDs. The research in this project aims to develop sensitive thin film photodetectors formed from semiconductors that can be dissolved in solvent and printed like inks. These materials can be then used to make high sensitivity photosensors that can detect blue to ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths of light that are compatible with scintillation layers. The materials systems under investigation in this work are based on organo-metal halide materials with perovskite and related structures. These are hybrid materials that have inorganic and organic constituents that can be made at very low cost using abundant elements. These materials also have high charge carrier mobility, which can lead to faster response and potentially high gain in photodiode and planar photoconductor structures. This project examines emerging organo-Pb materials and explores non-toxic organo-Bi materials that can absorb light in the blue to UV range. The interfaces of these materials with solution processable organic semiconductors will be studied to develop electrode layers that achieve high performance photodiodes with gain. The outcome of this work will be a disruptive advance in the ability to make high sensitivity, low-cost photodetectors.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- May 26, 2016
- Source ID
- HDTRA11510023
Entities
People
- Michael L. Chabinyc
Organizations
- Defense Threat Reduction Agency
- University of California, Santa Barbara