A Switchable High-Sensitivity Photodetecting and Photovoltaic Device with Perovskite Absorber

J Phys Chem Lett. 2015 May 7;6(9):1773-9. doi: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.5b00723. Epub 2015 Apr 27.

Abstract

Amplified photocurrent gain has been obtained by photodiodes of inorganic semiconductors such as GaAs and Si. The avalanche photodiode, developed for high-sensitivity photodetectors, requires an expensive vapor-phase epitaxy manufacture process and high driving voltage (50-150 V). Here, we show that a low-cost solution-processed device using a planar-structured ferroelectric organo-lead triiodide perovskite enables light detection in a large dynamic range of incident power (10(-7)-10(-1) W cm(-2)) by switching with small voltage (-0.9 to +0.5 V). The device achieves significantly high external quantum conversion efficiency (EQE) up to 2.4 × 10(5)% (gain value of 2400) under weak monochromatic light. On a single dual-functional device, incident small power (0.2-100 μW cm(-2)) and medium to large power (>0.1 mW cm(-2)) are captured by reverse bias and forward bias modes, respectively, with linear responsivity of current. For weak light detection, the device works with a high responsivity value up to 620 A W(-1).

Keywords: amplification; ferroelectricity; perovskite photovoltaic cell; photoconductivity; photodetector.