INFRALIGHT · Collecting Plasmonic Near-Infrared Photons through a Schottky junction

Collecting Plasmonic Near-Infrared Photons through a Schottky junction

More than one third of the solar energy reaching the Earth lies beyond the 1000 nm wavelength range. Efficient harvesting of infrared (IR) photons is therefore a critical and largely untapped opportunity for improving photovoltaic performance, photoelectric conversion efficiency, and next-generation imaging and communication technologies. Despite substantial progress in infrared optoelectronics, current IR detection and harvesting technologies remain constrained by material toxicity, high cost, and limited scalability. In recent years, colloidal quantum dots have emerged as a cost-effective alternative to conventional infrared semiconductors such as InGaAs, InSb, and HgCdTe. However, the vast majority of these approaches rely on toxic heavy-metal chalcogenides containing lead, cadmium, or mercury. This reliance poses serious environmental and regulatory challenges, particularly in the context of mass-market deployment. In line with the European Union’s Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive (2002/95/EC), there is an urgent need to develop infrared optoelectronic technologies based on sustainable, heavy-metal-free materials that comply with environmental regulations while maintaining high performance. Doped metal oxide nanocrystals, such as tin-doped indium oxide (ITO), have recently gained attention as a promising class of heavy-metal-free plasmonic materials. Owing to their high free-carrier densities, these nanocrystals exhibit tunable localized surface plasmon resonances across the near-infrared (NIR) and short-wave infrared (SWIR) spectral regions. Importantly, doping-induced band bending at the nanocrystal surface enables efficient generation of plasmon-induced hot carriers under infrared excitation. While plasmonic materials have been extensively integrated with semiconductors for visible-light applications, their systematic exploitation in the infrared regime-particularly using heavy-metal-free plasmonic nanomaterials-remains largely unexplored. The INFRALIGHT project addresses this critical gap by introducing a new optoelectronic architecture based on a Schottky junction formed between semiconducting fluorographene and heavy-metal-free doped metal oxide nanocrystals (e.g., Sn-doped In2O3). This junction is designed to enable efficient extraction of plasmon-generated hot electrons under infrared illumination, even at zero external bias. By leveraging infrared plasmonic hotspots in the nanocrystals, the project aims to demonstrate a proof-of-concept self-powered photodetector operating in the NIR-SWIR range. The overall objective of INFRALIGHT is twofold: (i) to establish fundamental understanding of infrared plasmon-charge-transfer processes at doped metal oxide/2D semiconductor interfaces (for example: fluorographene), and (ii) to translate this understanding into scalable, environmentally compliant optoelectronic devices. By moving beyond purely optical demonstrations and toward functional device integration, the project will open new pathways for sustainable infrared photodetection technologies. From an impact perspective, INFRALIGHT directly contributes to European strategic priorities in advanced materials, sustainable electronics, and green digital technologies. Scientifically, it will deliver new insights into infrared plasmonics and hot-carrier dynamics in hybrid nanostructures. Technologically, it will provide a platform for low-cost, heavy-metal-free infrared photodetectors compatible with large-area fabrication. In the longer term, the project’s outcomes are expected to support the development of environmentally responsible infrared technologies for sensing, energy harvesting, and communication, thereby strengthening Europe’s competitiveness in next-generation optoelectronics.

Текст от CORDIS, на английски · Данни: CORDIS, © Европейски съюз