Tuning optical and optoelectronic properties of polycrystalline lead selenide via low-energy assisted ion beam

Tuning the optical and optoelectronic properties of materials is attractive for solar energy and infrared sensing applications. Here, we proposed an ion beam co-growth preparation method that can continuously tune the optical band gap and absorption and thus optoelectronic properties of lead selenide. The optical band gap of the material can be effectively tuned by ion energy and beam current, varying continuously from 0.79 to 1.03 eV. The tuning mechanism of ion beam on optical and optoelectronic properties was revealed by orthogonal range analysis. The results of range analysis on optical properties show that ion energy and beam current play the key role in adjusting the optical band gap and absorptivity. Ion beam regulation also reduces the Urbach energy of the material, suggesting low thermal disorder and structural defects of the resulting material. The photoresponsivity and specific detectivity of thin film devices can also be effectively tuned by the ion energy and beam current. The material is sensitive to mid-infrared radiation, and the preliminary photoresponsivity is up to 0.61 A/W at 3 mu m, which is better than those of traditional thermal diffusion in oxygen atmosphere.(c) 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

In this study, an ion beam co-growth preparation method was proposed to continuously adjust the optical band gap and absorption of lead selenide, thereby tuning its optoelectronic properties for solar energy and infrared sensing applications.