Key Takeaways & Executive Findings
- •• Topological materials offer topologically protected electronic states and ultra-high carrier mobility, enabling high-performance infrared and terahertz photodetection. • The review systematically covers various topological material classes and their unique properties relevant to photodetector applications. • It explains the detection mechanisms and key performance metrics, providing a framework for evaluating topological photodetectors. • Current research progress and future challenges in topological photodetectors from near-infrared to terahertz range are summarized.
Abstract
Infrared and terahertz waves constitute pivotal bands within the electromagnetic spectrum, distinguished by their robust penetration capabilities and non-ionizing nature. These wavebands offer the potential for achieving high-resolution and non-destructive detection methodologies, thereby possessing considerable research significance across diverse domains including communication technologies, biomedical applications, and security screening systems. Two-dimensional materials, owing to their distinctive optoelectronic attributes, have found widespread application in photodetection endeavors. Nonetheless, their efficacy diminishes when tasked with detecting lower photon energies. Furthermore, as the landscape of device integration evolves, two-dimensional materials struggle to align with the stringent demands for device superior performance. Topological materials, with their topologically protected electronic states and non-trivial topological invariants, exhibit quantum anomalous Hall effects and ultra-high carrier mobility, providing a new approach for seeking photosensitive materials for infrared and terahertz photodetectors. This article introduces various types of topological materials and their properties, followed by an explanation of the detection mechanism and performance parameters of photodetectors. Finally, it summarizes the current research status of near-infrared to far-infrared photodetectors and terahertz photodetectors based on topological materials, discussing the challenges faced and future prospects in their development.
1. Introduction
The photodetector is a device that can absorb the photon energy of the incident light signal and convert it into an electrical signal, serving as a fundamental component in modern optoelectronic systems. Infrared and terahertz waves, occupying the spectral range from approximately 0.75 μm to 3 mm, are particularly attractive due to their unique properties, including strong penetration through various media and non-ionizing radiation, making them suitable for applications in communication, biomedical imaging, and security screening.
However, conventional photodetectors based on traditional semiconductors face challenges in detecting low-energy photons in the infrared and terahertz bands, often requiring cryogenic cooling to reduce thermal noise. Two-dimensional materials, such as graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides, have been extensively studied for photodetection due to their exceptional optoelectronic properties, but their performance degrades at longer wavelengths. Topological materials, characterized by non-trivial band topology and protected surface states, offer a promising alternative, exhibiting quantum anomalous Hall effects and ultra-high carrier mobility, which can potentially overcome these limitations.
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Zhaowen Bao, Yiming Wang, Kaixuan Zhang, Yingdong Wei, Xiaokai Pan, Zhen Hu, Shiqi Lan, Yichong Zhang, Xiaoyun Wang, Huichuan Fan, Hongfei Wu, Lei Yang, Zhiyuan Zhou, Xin Sun, Yulu Chen, Lin Wang (2025). Topological materials-based photodetectors from the infrared to terahertz range. SinoTechIntel Verified Research. https://doi.org/10.1088/1674-4926/25010010
Research & Educational Purpose Only:The translations, structured abstracts, analytical annotations, and data reports provided by SinoTechIntel are intended exclusively for academic research, internal corporate R&D, and educational benchmarking. They do not constitute formal engineering, chemical safety, legal, or professional advice.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are topological materials and why are they promising for photodetectors?
Topological materials possess topologically protected electronic states and non-trivial topological invariants, leading to quantum anomalous Hall effects and ultra-high carrier mobility. These properties enable efficient detection of low-energy photons in the infrared and terahertz ranges, overcoming limitations of conventional and 2D materials.
What is the scope of this review on topological materials-based photodetectors?
This review covers various types of topological materials, their properties, detection mechanisms, and performance parameters. It summarizes the current research status of photodetectors based on topological materials from near-infrared to far-infrared and terahertz ranges, and discusses challenges and future prospects.
How do topological photodetectors compare to traditional and 2D material photodetectors?
Topological photodetectors offer advantages such as ultra-high carrier mobility and topologically protected surface states, which can lead to faster response and higher sensitivity, especially at lower photon energies where traditional and 2D materials struggle.
What are the main challenges in developing topological photodetectors?
Challenges include material synthesis, device integration, and achieving high performance at room temperature. The review discusses these issues and suggests future research directions.
Where can I find the full article?
The article is published in Journal of Semiconductors, 2025, 46(8), 081401, with DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1674-4926/25010010.
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