Optical modulation frequency mediated tunable response time and responsivity in graphene-PbS QD based hybrid photodetectors

Abstract Graphene/lead sulfide (PbS) quantum dot (QD) hybrid infrared photodetectors have gained a lot of attention in recent times due to their high resolution and cost effective fabrication process. In spite of exhibiting remarkably high responsivity, such hybrid detectors are slow as a result of their internal gain mechanism process. In this work, we present a convenient strategy to modulate the correlation between their responsivity and response time giving access to high resolution fast photodetectors in the broadband wavelength range for imaging purpose. Using a layer-by-layer deposition technique including simultaneous ligand exchange and surface passivation at each layer, homogeneous PbS QD films on chemical vapour deposition grown single layer graphene could be achieved. The obtained hybrid phototransistors exhibit a high responsivity of 10 ⁸ A W ⁻¹ and sensitivity down to 0.1 pW incident light power in the near-infrared wavelength range. By modulating the incident light at a modulation frequency up to 50 kHz, we achieve a response time as low as 5 μ s while preserving a much higher responsivity (144 A W ⁻¹ ) compared to existing commercial room temperature infrared photodetectors.