# US 2016/0258809 A1 · Mid-infrared photodetectors

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- Number: US 2016/0258809 A1
- Document ID: US20160258809A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/062,418
- Filed: 2016-03-07
- Published: 2016-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2011-05-20
- Assignees: The University of Chicago
- Applicants: The University of Chicago
- Inventors: Philippe Guyot-Sionnest; Sean E. Keuleyan; Emmanuel Lhuillier
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160258809A1

## CPC

- H10F 77/123: comprising only Group II-VI materials, e.g. CdS, ZnS or HgCdTe
- C09K 11/89: containing mercury
- G01J 1/4228: {arrangements with two or more detectors, e.g. for sensitivity compensation}
- H10F 30/10: the devices being sensitive to infrared radiation, visible or ultraviolet radiation, and having no potential barriers, e.g. photoresistors
- H10F 39/12: Image sensors
- H10F 71/125: {The active layers comprising only Group II-VI materials, e.g. CdS, ZnS or CdTe}
- H10F 77/121: comprising only selenium or only tellurium
- H10F 77/127: {comprising only Group IV-VI or only Group II-IV-VI chalcogenide materials, e.g. PbSnTe}
- H10F 77/1433: {Quantum dots}
- H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
- C09K: MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
- G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N)

## Abstract

Nanoparticles, methods of manufacture, devices comprising the nanoparticles, methods of their manufacture, and methods of their use are provided herein. The nanoparticles and devices having photoabsorptions in the range of 1.7 μm to 12 μm and can be used as photoconductors, photodiodes, phototransistors, charge-coupled devices (CCD), luminescent probes, lasers, thermal imagers, night-vision systems, and/or photodetectors.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-33. (canceled)

### Claim 34

A photodetector comprising:
a photoabsorptive layer comprising colloidal inorganic quantum dots, wherein the colloidal inorganic quantum dots are capable of absorbing mid-infrared radiation via intraband absorption to generate a photoresponsive current;
a first electrical connection and a second electrical connection, wherein the first and second electrical connections bridge the photoabsorptive layer; and
circuitry configured to measure the photoresponsive current.

### Claim 35 (depends on 34)

The photodetector of claim 34, wherein the colloidal inorganic quantum dots comprise colloidal mercury chalcogenide quantum dots.

### Claim 36 (depends on 35)

The photodetector of claim 35, wherein the colloidal inorganic quantum dots comprise colloidal mercury selenide quantum dots.

### Claim 37 (depends on 34)

The photodetector of claim 34, wherein the colloidal inorganic quantum dots are capable of absorbing mid-infrared radiation in the wavelength range of 3 μm to 5 μm via intraband absorption to generate the photoresponsive current.

### Claim 38 (depends on 34)

The photodetector of claim 34, wherein the circuitry is further configured to render the photoresponsive current as an image or an image file.

### Claim 39 (depends on 35)

The photodetector of claim 35, wherein the circuitry is further configured to render the photoresponsive current as an image or an image file.

### Claim 40 (depends on 36)

The photodetector of claim 36, wherein the circuitry is further configured to render the photoresponsive current as an image or an image file.

### Claim 41

A device comprising:
a photoabsorptive layer comprising colloidal inorganic quantum dots, wherein the colloidal inorganic quantum dots are capable of absorbing mid-infrared radiation via intraband absorption and emitting photoluminescent radiation in the mid-infrared.

### Claim 42

A method of detecting infrared radiation using a photodetector comprising: a photoabsorptive layer comprising colloidal inorganic quantum dots, wherein the colloidal inorganic quantum dots are capable of absorbing mid-infrared radiation via intraband absorption to generate a photoresponsive current; a first electrical connection and a second electrical connection, wherein the first and second electrical connections bridge the photoabsorptive layer; and circuitry configured to measure the photoresponsive current, the method comprising:
exposing the colloidal inorganic quantum dots to mid-infrared radiation, wherein the colloidal inorganic quantum dots absorb the mid-infrared radiation via intraband transitions and generate a photoresponsive current; and
measuring the photoresponsive current with the circuitry.

### Claim 43 (depends on 42)

The method of claim 42, wherein the colloidal quantum dots comprise colloidal mercury chalcogenide quantum dots.

### Claim 44 (depends on 43)

The method of claim 43, wherein the colloidal quantum dots comprise colloidal mercury selenide quantum dots.

### Claim 45 (depends on 42)

The method of claim 42, wherein the colloidal inorganic quantum dots absorb mid-infrared radiation in the wavelength range of 3 μm to 5 μm via intraband absorption to generate the photoresponsive current.

### Claim 46 (depends on 42)

The method of claim 42, wherein the circuitry is further configured to render the photoresponsive current as an image or an image file, and the method further comprises rendering the photoresponsive current as an image or an image file.

### Claim 47 (depends on 43)

The method of claim 43, wherein the circuitry is further configured to render the photoresponsive current as an image or an image file, and the method further comprises rendering the photoresponsive current as an image or an image file.

### Claim 48 (depends on 44)

The method of claim 44, wherein the circuitry is further configured to render the photoresponsive current as an image or an image file, and the method further comprises rendering the photoresponsive current as an image or an image file.