Review on III-V Semiconductor Nanowire Array Infrared Photodetectors

Abstract

In recent years, III–V semiconductor nanowires have been widely investigated for infrared photodetector applications due to their direct and suitable bandgap, unique optical and electrical properties, flexibility in device design and to create heterostructures, and/or grow on a foreign substrate such as Si with more effective strain relaxation compared with planar structures. In particular, vertically aligned and ordered nanowire arrays have emerged as a promising photodetector platform, since their geometry-related light absorption and carrier transport properties can be tailored to achieve high photodetector performance and new functionalities. In this article, the state-of-the-art progress in the development of various types of infrared photodetectors based on III–V semiconductor nanowire arrays is reviewed. The nanowire synthesis/fabrication methods are introduced briefly at first, followed by discussions on the working principle and device performance of various types of nanowire array-based photodetectors and their emerging applications. Finally, we analyze the challenges and present the perspectives for the development of future low-cost, large-scale, high-performance nanowire array infrared photodetectors for practical applications.