Self-Powered Colloidal Wurtzite-Structure Quantum Dots Photodetectors Based On Photoinduced-Pyroelectric Effect

Colloidal wurtzite-structure CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (CWQDs), with noncentral asymmetry structure and spontaneous polarization, have an extensive potential for applications based on the pyroelectric effect, such as energy harvestors, self-powered nanogenerators, and photosensors. Here, a low-cost, easy-fabrication, and high-speed self-powered photodetector is demonstrated, which performs independently without any external power source. The response of the device caused by the photoinduced-pyroelectric effect is experimentally investigated based on the Au/CWQDs/Au edge-electrodes structure, which exhibits an ultrafast photoresponse with a rising time of 20.6 µs and a falling time of 30.1 µs. Moreover, the frequency and temperature dependence of the device also is investigated under zero bias. This work provides a new approach to achieve self-powered photodetectors, which may show promise for extensive batch applications, such as wireless sensing, optothermal detection, optoelectronic communication, and energy harvesting.