TY - JOUR
T1 - High-Performance Solution-Processed Quantum Dot Infrared Photodetectors via Interface Engineering with MXenes
AU - Hussain, Shafaat
AU - Yang, Shengyi
AU - Zia, Ayesha
AU - Qasim, Muhammad
AU - Zou, Bingsuo
AU - Jiang, Yurong
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2026 American Chemical Society
PY - 2026/2/25
Y1 - 2026/2/25
N2 - Infrared (IR) photodetectors are crucial for a range of applications, including night vision, optical communication, and environmental monitoring. However, their effectiveness is often hindered by low charge transport and interfacial losses in colloidal quantum dot (CQD)-based designs. MXenes, known for their high metallic conductivity, adjustable surface terminations, and excellent optical transparency, present a unique opportunity to improve interfaces for better optoelectronic performance. In this work, Ti3C2Tx MXene via interface engineering for PbS CQD IR photodetectors, in which it functions as an electrode, transport layer, and interfacial modifier is systematically investigated. As a result, an ultrahigh responsivity of 1032.37 A/W with a specific detectivity of 1.12 × 1013 Jones and an external quantum efficiency of 1.311 × 105 % are obtained from photodetector ITO/ZnO/Ti3C2Tx/PbS/MoO3/Ti3C2Tx under 1 μW/cm2 980 nm illumination. Our finite difference time domain (FDTD) simulations further support and provide a physical basis for our experimental results, indicating that dual MXene incorporation significantly enhances optical field confinement and absorption within the PbS CQD layer. Thus, it illustrates that MXene-enabled interface engineering and optical coupling can establish an effective design paradigm for high-performance, solution-processed infrared photodetectors, effectively bridging the gap between quantum materials and practical optoelectronics.
AB - Infrared (IR) photodetectors are crucial for a range of applications, including night vision, optical communication, and environmental monitoring. However, their effectiveness is often hindered by low charge transport and interfacial losses in colloidal quantum dot (CQD)-based designs. MXenes, known for their high metallic conductivity, adjustable surface terminations, and excellent optical transparency, present a unique opportunity to improve interfaces for better optoelectronic performance. In this work, Ti3C2Tx MXene via interface engineering for PbS CQD IR photodetectors, in which it functions as an electrode, transport layer, and interfacial modifier is systematically investigated. As a result, an ultrahigh responsivity of 1032.37 A/W with a specific detectivity of 1.12 × 1013 Jones and an external quantum efficiency of 1.311 × 105 % are obtained from photodetector ITO/ZnO/Ti3C2Tx/PbS/MoO3/Ti3C2Tx under 1 μW/cm2 980 nm illumination. Our finite difference time domain (FDTD) simulations further support and provide a physical basis for our experimental results, indicating that dual MXene incorporation significantly enhances optical field confinement and absorption within the PbS CQD layer. Thus, it illustrates that MXene-enabled interface engineering and optical coupling can establish an effective design paradigm for high-performance, solution-processed infrared photodetectors, effectively bridging the gap between quantum materials and practical optoelectronics.
KW - MXene electrode
KW - PbS colloidal quantum dots
KW - energy band alignments
KW - interface engineering
KW - work function modulation
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105030937902
U2 - 10.1021/acsami.5c25535
DO - 10.1021/acsami.5c25535
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:105030937902
SN - 1944-8244
VL - 18
SP - 11630
EP - 11640
JO - ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces
JF - ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces
IS - 7
ER -