High-Performance UV-Vis-NIR Phototransistors Based on Single-Crystalline Organic Semiconductor-Gold Hybrid Nanomaterials

Abstract

Hybrid materials in optoelectronic devices can generate new functionality or provide synergistic effects that enhance the properties of each component. Here, high-performance phototransistors with broad spectral responsivity in UV-vis-near-infrared (NIR) regions, using gold nanorods (Au NRs)-decorated n-type organic semiconductor and N, N'-bis(2-phenylethyl)-perylene-3,4: 9,10-tetracarboxylic diimide (BPE-PTCDI) nanowires (NWs) are reported. By way of the synergistic effect of the excellent photo-conducting characteristics of single-crystalline BPE-PTCDI NW and the light scattering and localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPR) of Au NRs, the hybrid system provides new photodetectivity in the NIR spectral region. In the UV-vis region, hybrid nanomaterial- based phototransistors exhibit significantly enhanced photo-responsive properties with a photo-responsivity (R) of 7.70 x 10(5) A W-1 and external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 1.42 x 108% at the minimum light intensity of 2.5 mu W cm(-2), which are at least tenfold greater than those of pristine BPE-PTCDI NW-based ones and comparable to those of high-performance inorganic material-based devices. While a pristine BPE-PTCDI NW-based photodetector is insensitive to the NIR spectral region, the hybrid NW-based phototransistor shows an R of 10.7 A W-1 and EQE of 1.35 x 10(3)% under 980 nm wavelength-NIR illumination. This work demonstrates a viable approach to high-performance photo-detecting systems with broad spectral responsivity.