Scientists at the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati have synthesized an effective, low-cost photodetector that holds a great promise in applications like healthcare and biomedical devices, environmental monitoring, and solar energy industries. The research by Prof P. K. Giri from the Department of Physics along with his scholars Debabrata Sahu, Subhankar Debnath, and Sirsendu Ghosal recently appeared in the World-Class journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.

A photodetector freshly developed with the latest materials such as formamidinium perovskite and 2D printed plasmonic nanoparticles exploit the phenomenon of plasmonics within a nanoparticle and couple light to the electrical signal in order to achieve optimal light detection and conversion. Photodetectors are the most fundamental elements of cameras, medical imaging devices, environmental sensors, and many communication systems as they convert light into electrical signals.

Such materials are distinguished by superior light-absorbing properties, which makes them suitable for their application in photodetectors, solar cells, and other light-based technologies. Formamidinium-based perovskite which was used in this work is regarded as stable with a high efficiency of converting light but still requires optimization while maintaining a low-cost product.

To overcome this, the team at IIT Guwahati incorporated plasmonic nanoparticles specifically silver (Ag) nanoparticles - in the structure of the perovskite. The plasmonic nanoparticles concentrate light on the perovskite layer by a phenomenon called localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), which has increased the sensitivity and efficiency of the photodetector.

"Our goal is to make a photodetector that would be highly efficient but yet affordable, durable, and suitable for practical use", says Professor Giri. "By infusing 2D printed plasmonic nanoparticles into the design, we significantly enhance the device's performance, ensuring at the same time scalability and cost-effectiveness".

A proprietary microprinting technique was used to aligned the nanoparticles carefully. This allows for a scaling and relatively inexpensive fabrication process. The device demonstrated robustness under simulated environmental conditions, which means it is practicable for practical applications.

This advanced photodetector can revolutionize industries such as medicine with precise medical imaging,environmental monitoring to help in the improvement of approaches for tracking toxic emissions, and even the solar power systems by maximizing the efficiency of these energy systems.