Mid-infrared photodetectors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016258809-A1
Application number	US-201615062418-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 7, 2016
Priority date	May 20, 2011
Publication date	Sep 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Nanoparticles, methods of manufacture, devices comprising the nanoparticles, methods of their manufacture, and methods of their use are provided herein. The nanoparticles and devices having photoabsorptions in the range of 1.7 μm to 12 μm and can be used as photoconductors, photodiodes, phototransistors, charge-coupled devices (CCD), luminescent probes, lasers, thermal imagers, night-vision systems, and/or photodetectors.

First claim

1 - 33 . (canceled)

34 . A photodetector comprising:
a photoabsorptive layer comprising colloidal inorganic quantum dots, wherein the colloidal inorganic quantum dots are capable of absorbing mid-infrared radiation via intraband absorption to generate a photoresponsive current; a first electrical connection and a second electrical connection, wherein the first and second electrical connections bridge the photoabsorptive layer; and circuitry configured to measure the photoresponsive current.

35 . The photodetector of claim 34 , wherein the colloidal inorganic quantum dots comprise colloidal mercury chalcogenide quantum dots.

36 . The photodetector of claim 35 , wherein the colloidal inorganic quantum dots comprise colloidal mercury selenide quantum dots.

37 . The photodetector of claim 34 , wherein the colloidal inorganic quantum dots are capable of absorbing mid-infrared radiation in the wavelength range of 3 μm to 5 μm via intraband absorption to generate the photoresponsive current.

38 . The photodetector of claim 34 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to render the photoresponsive current as an image or an image file.

39 . The photodetector of claim 35 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to render the photoresponsive current as an image or an image file.

40 . The photodetector of claim 36 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to render the photoresponsive current as an image or an image file.

41 . A device comprising:
a photoabsorptive layer comprising colloidal inorganic quantum dots, wherein the colloidal inorganic quantum dots are capable of absorbing mid-infrared radiation via intraband absorption and emitting photoluminescent radiation in the mid-infrared.

42 . A method of detecting infrared radiation using a photodetector comprising: a photoabsorptive layer comprising colloidal inorganic quantum dots, wherein the colloidal inorganic quantum dots are capable of absorbing mid-infrared radiation via intraband absorption to generate a photoresponsive current; a first electrical connection and a second electrical connection, wherein the first and second electrical connections bridge the photoabsorptive layer; and circuitry configured to measure the photoresponsive current, the method comprising:
exposing the colloidal inorganic quantum dots to mid-infrared radiation, wherein the colloidal inorganic quantum dots absorb the mid-infrared radiation via intraband transitions and generate a photoresponsive current; and measuring the photoresponsive current with the circuitry.

43 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the colloidal quantum dots comprise colloidal mercury chalcogenide quantum dots.

44 . The method of claim 43 , wherein the colloidal quantum dots comprise colloidal mercury selenide quantum dots.

45 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the colloidal inorganic quantum dots absorb mid-infrared radiation in the wavelength range of 3 μm to 5 μm via intraband absorption to generate the photoresponsive current.

46 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to render the photoresponsive current as an image or an image file, and the method further comprises rendering the photoresponsive current as an image or an image file.

47 . The method of claim 43 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to render the photoresponsive current as an image or an image file, and the method further comprises rendering the photoresponsive current as an image or an image file.

48 . The method of claim 44 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to render the photoresponsive current as an image or an image file, and the method further comprises rendering the photoresponsive current as an image or an image file.

Assignees

• Univ Chicago

Inventors

• Guyot-Sionnest Philippe
• Keuleyan Sean E
• Lhuillier Emmanuel

Classifications

• C09K11/89

  containing mercury · CPC title

• G01J1/4228 Primary

  arrangements with two or more detectors, e.g. for sensitivity compensation · CPC title

• H10F77/1433

  Quantum dots · CPC title

• H10F77/127

  comprising only Group IV-VI or only Group II-IV-VI chalcogenide materials, e.g. PbSnTe · CPC title

• H10F77/121

  comprising only selenium or only tellurium · CPC title