Theoretical Model of a Plasmonically Enhanced Tunable Spectrally Selective Infrared Photodetector Based on Intercalation-Doped Nanopatterned Multilayer Graphene

We showed in past work that nanopatterned monolayer graphene (NPG) can be used for realizing an ultrafast (∼100 ns) and spectrally selective mid-infrared (mid-IR) photodetector based on the photothermoelectric effect and working in the 8–12 μm regime. In later work, we showed that the absorption wavelength of NPG can be extended to the 3–8 μm regime. Further extension to shorter wavelengths would require a smaller nanohole size that is not attainable with current technology. Here, we show by means of a theoretical model that nanopatterned multilayer graphene intercalated with FeCl3 (NPMLG-FeCl3) overcomes this problem by substantially extending the detection wavelength into the range from λ = 1.3 to 3 μm. We present a proof of concept for a spectrally selective infrared (IR) photodetector based on NPMLG-FeCl3 that can operate from λ = 1.3 to 12 μm and beyond. The localized surface plasmons (LSPs) on the graphene sheets in NPMLG-FeCl3 allow for electrostatic tuning of the photodetection wavelength. Most importantly, the LSPs along with an optical cavity increase the absorbance from about N × 2.6% for N-layer graphene-FeCl3 (without patterning) to nearly 100% for NPMLG-FeCl3, where the strong absorbance occurs locally inside the graphene sheets only. Our IR detection scheme relies on the photothermoelectric effect induced by asymmetric patterning of the multilayer graphene (MLG) sheets. The LSPs on the nanopatterned side create hot carriers that give rise to the Seebeck effect at room temperature, achieving a responsivity of R=6.15×103 V/W, a detectivity of D* = 2.3 × 109 Jones, and an ultrafast response time of the order of 100 ns. Our theoretical results can be used to develop graphene-based photodetection, optical IR communication, IR color displays, and IR spectroscopy over a wide IR range.