Photodetectors work by converting information carried by light into an electrical signal and are used in optical communications, biomedical imaging, security, and environmental monitoring. Traditional semiconductors used in photodetectors have several drawbacks, including lack of mechanical flexibility, limited operating range, and complex processing, thus limiting their application in developing cost-effective and energy-efficient photodetectors. As the global market for photodetectors is expected to rise to $1.8 billion by 2024, the development of new semiconducting materials with broad spectral range and easy processing is a commercial necessity. This project aims to develop new highly porous two-dimensional (2D) inorganic semiconductors for advanced photodetectors. The key concept is to combine electrochemical deposition and post-growth plasma treatment to tune the optoelectronic properties of these materials. This project expects to generate new insights into the correlations between different pore parameters and plasma treatment conditions for 2D inorganic semiconductors and new advanced materials with high sensitivity and broad spectral range for photodetectors. The project is expected to provide significant benefits by advancing Australia’s capability in the manufacturing of inorganic semiconductors and photodetectors for application in optical communications and sensors.
