Abstract
The University of Central Florida invention is an ultrasensitive mid-infrared (mid-IR) photodetector consisting of a hybrid heterostructure made of nanopatterned graphene (NPG) and vanadium dioxide (VO2). Compared to current VO2 microbolometers, the graphene-VO2 photodetector is spectrally selective and has higher sensitivity. The substantial increase in sensitivity is because the nanopatterned graphene sheet creates sufficient heat to trigger an insulator-to-metal phase transition in VO2, which results in an enormous change in conductivity and photocurrent. These detectors could be used in applications like night-vision goggles, thermal cameras, infrared spectroscopy (including the detection of poisonous gases and viruses, such as COVID-19 and its mutations).
Benefit
Spectrally selective and has higher sensitivity than current VO2 microbolometersOffers improved sensitivity and tunable detection in an uncooled detectorMarket Application
Infrared photodetector
Brochure
