Integrated Graphene Heterostructures in Optical Sensing

Abstract

Graphene—an outstanding low-dimensional material—exhibited many physics behaviors that are unknown over the past two decades, e.g., exceptional matter–light interaction, large light absorption band, and high charge carrier mobility, which can be adjusted on arbitrary surfaces. The deposition approaches of graphene on silicon to form the heterostructure Schottky junctions was studied, unveiling new roadmaps to detect the light at wider-ranged absorption spectrums, e.g., far-infrared via excited photoemission. In addition, heterojunction-assisted optical sensing systems enable the active carriers’ lifetime and, thereby, accelerate the separation speed and transport, and then they pave new strategies to tune high-performance optoelectronics. In this mini-review, an overview is considered concerning recent advancements in graphene heterostructure devices and their optical sensing ability in multiple applications (ultrafast optical sensing system, plasmonic system, optical waveguide system, optical spectrometer, or optical synaptic system) is discussed, in which the prominent studies for the improvement of performance and stability, based on the integrated graphene heterostructures, have been reported and are also addressed again. Moreover, the pros and cons of graphene heterostructures are revealed along with the syntheses and nanofabrication sequences in optoelectronics. Thereby, this gives a variety of promising solutions beyond the ones presently used. Eventually, the development roadmap of futuristic modern optoelectronic systems is predicted.

Synaptic device-based neuromorphic computing in artificial intelligence

“…Optoelectronic synaptic devices have basic functionalities such as STP, LTP, STDP, and SRDP. These devices can be categorized into optically stimulated synaptic devices [4].…”

Art etching of graphene

“…Capitalizing on graphene's impermeability to most substances, these membranes selectively permit the permeation of water molecules, offering a highly efficient solution for water purification. The construction of in-plane heterostructures with other 2D and 3D materials can be facilitated by the scalability of integrated etched graphene, 90,100,101 potentially contributing to the development of quantum computer components. When etched graphene is smoothly incorporated into composite materials, it changes everything by improving the material's overall performance, thermal conductivity, and mechanical strength.…”

Layer-by-layer thinning of two-dimensional materials

“…11–30 Due to its distinctive structure and extensive π-conjugation, graphene exhibits outstanding electrical and optical characteristics, positioning it as a promising candidate for applications in electronics and optoelectronics. 22,23,31–35 This has sparked a race to explore high-quality 2D materials and integrate them into semiconducting devices at economical prices. 36–39 However, achieving optimal results in applications requires precise control over the layer numbers and shapes of these 2D materials, making it imperative to employ techniques for thinning them down.…”