# US 2021/0280760 A1 · Plasmon-assisted photothermoelectric effect based detection of infrared radiation on asymmetrically patterned graphene > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0280760 A1 - Document ID: US20210280760A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/555,449 - Filed: 2019-08-29 - Published: 2021-09-09 - Earliest claimed: 2018-08-31 - Assignees: University of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc. - Applicants: University of Central Florida Research Foundations, Inc. - Inventors: Debashis Chanda; Michael Leuenberger; Alireza Safari; Sayan Chandra - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210280760A1 ## CPC - H10N 10/855: comprising compounds containing boron, carbon, oxygen or nitrogen - G01J 5/03: Arrangements for indicating or recording specially adapted for radiation pyrometers - G01J 5/12: using thermoelectric elements, e.g. thermocouples - H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - 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 Various methods and devices for ultrasensitive infrared photodetection, infrared imaging, and other optoelectronic applications using the plasmon assisted thermoelectric effect in graphene are described. Infrared detection by the photo-thermoelectric uses the generation of a temperature gradient (ΔT) for the efficient collection of the generated hot-carriers. An asymmetric plasmon-induced hot-carrier Seebeck photodetection scheme at room temperature exhibits a remarkable responsivity along with an ultrafast response in the technologically relevant 8-12 μm band. This is achieved by engineering the asymmetric electronic environment of the generated hot carriers on chemical vapor deposition (CVD) grown large area nanopatterned monolayer graphene, which leads to a record ΔT across the device terminals thereby enhancing the photo-thermoelectric voltage beyond the theoretical limit for graphene. The results provide a strategy for uncooled, tunable, multispectral infrared detection. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: providing an infrared detector, the infrared detector having an asymmetrically patterned graphene layer; receiving infrared radiation illumination at the infrared detector; detecting a thermoelectric voltage generated by the received infrared radiation illumination; and in response to detecting the thermoelectric voltage, indicating reception of infrared radiation illumination. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the infrared detector is an uncooled infrared detector. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein infrared radiation illumination is within the 3 μm 5 μm band. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein infrared radiation illumination is within the 8 μm 12 μm band. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the asymmetrically patterned graphene layer is nanopatterned. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the asymmetrically patterned graphene layer comprises a first graphene section and a second graphene section, the second graphene section having a pattern. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the first graphene section and the second, patterned graphene section extend in parallel along the length of the graphene channel. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the infrared detector comprises a dielectric slab sandwiched between the asymmetrically patterned graphene layer and a back reflector. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the asymmetrically patterned graphene layer comprises a pattern of holes in a hexagonal array. ### Claim 10 A device, comprising: an infrared detector with an asymmetrically patterned graphene layer configured to generate a thermoelectric voltage in response to a received infrared radiation illumination, the infrared detector having a source, drain and gate; a function generator connected to the source; a lock-in amplifier connected to the drain; and a gate voltage connected to the gate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The device of claim 10, wherein a first connection of the lock-in amplifier is connected to the source and a second, opposite connection of the lock-in amplifier is connected to ground. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The device of claim 11, wherein an amplifier resister is connected in parallel with the lock-in amplifier. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The device of claim 10, wherein the function generator is connected to the source via a resister. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The device of claim 10, wherein the asymmetrically patterned graphene layer comprises a first graphene section and a second graphene section, the second graphene section having a pattern. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The device of claim 14, wherein the pattern comprises a hexagonal array of holes. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The device of claim 10, wherein the infrared detector comprises a graphene channel, and wherein the graphene channel comprises the asymmetrically patterned graphene layer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The device of claim 16, wherein the asymmetrically patterned graphene layer comprises a first graphene section and a second, patterned graphene section, the first graphene section and the second, patterned graphene section extending in parallel along the length of the graphene channel. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The device of claim 10, wherein the asymmetrically patterned graphene layer is coupled to an optical cavity. ### Claim 19 (depends on 10) The device of claim 10, wherein the asymmetrically patterned graphene layer is a monolayer graphene layer. ### Claim 20 (depends on 10) The device of claim 10, wherein the infrared detector is an uncooled infrared detector.