Unique Hybrid metal discovered that can be an efficient photodetector to aid industry

Recently a Ph.D. student, Himani Arora of Helholtz Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) has developed a hybrid metal which has the ability to fetch broad range wavelengths and is cost effective too. For it being cost effective, it does not includes any high priced raw materials in it making hence it can be produced in bulk. Himani also showcased that this hybrid metal framework can be utilized as a Broadband Photodetector.

Numerous gadgets, for example, digital cameras and sensors, require optoelectronic parts. To fulfill the expanding interest for these parts, the industry is continually scanning for new semiconductor materials.

“Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have become a coveted material system. So far, these highly porous substances, up to 90 percent of which are composed of empty space, have largely been used to store gases, for catalysis or to slowly release drugs in the human body.”

 “The metal-organic framework compound developed at TU Dresden comprises an organic material integrated with iron ions,” explains Dr. Artur Erbe, head of the "Transport in Nanostructures" group at HZDR’s Institute of Ion Beam Physics and Materials Research. “The special thing about it is that the framework forms superimposed layers with semiconducting properties, which makes it potentially interesting for optoelectronic applications.”

Ph.D. student Himani Arora studied and analysed the two-dimensional MOF semiconductors’ electrical content upon which she discovered that it is capable of detecting a light wavelength ranging from 400 to 1575nm.

Thanks to this and the MOF compound’s electronic properties, namely it's small bandgap that requires “very little light energy” to induce electricity, photodetectors based on it could hold lots of promise for a broad range of optoelectronic applications including consumer devices like digital cameras. 

The team further plans to include scaling the layer thickness and making the MOF films thinner by reducing the superimposed layers to 70nm so that they can be integrated into components.

Source: HZDR