【Member Papers】High-performance α-Ga₂O₃/CdS quantum dots PEC photodetector based on the pyro-phototronic effect for optical communication

        The photoelectrochemical (PEC) self-powered photodetector fabricated from α-Ga2O3 was limited by its bandgap to only absorbing light within the solar-blind ultraviolet (UV) range, and also exhibited relatively slow response characteristics. The pyro-phototronic effect (PPE) was demonstrated to play a crucial role in enhancing detector performance. In this study, an α-Ga2O3 nanorods/CdS quantum dots heterojunction PEC photodetector was successfully prepared through low-cost hydrothermal method and chemical bath deposition (CBD). Under the influence of the pyro-phototronic effect, a broadband response ranging from 220 nm (UV) to 700 nm (visible) was constructed. At the solar-blind UV wavelength of 254 nm, the photodetector has reached the optimal responsivity (R) and specific detectivity (D*) of 0.99 mA/W and 3.62 × 109 Jones, and the response times of this photodetector were promoted to 30 ms (rise) and 24 ms (fall). Furthermore, at the visible wavelength of 450 nm, the photodetector exhibited optimal R and D* values of 1.48 mA/W and 6.76 × 109 Jones, respectively. Based on the pyro-phototronic effect, three logic gate operations—“AND”, “OR”, and “NOT”—were successfully implemented, providing valuable insights for the application of PEC detectors in optical communication systems.