Spatial confined hot carrier dynamics for beyond unity quantum efficiency detection

Yu Wan, Zhe Cheng, Zhen Wang (), Jiapeng Hu, Fang Zhong, Kangmin Leng, Mengchun Qiu, Kuai Yu, Li Wang, Antoni Rogalski, Qi Jie Wang, Jianbin Xu, Weida Hu () and Qisheng Wang ()
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Yu Wan: Nanchang University
Zhe Cheng: Nanchang University
Zhen Wang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Jiapeng Hu: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Fang Zhong: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Kangmin Leng: Nanchang University
Mengchun Qiu: Nanchang University
Kuai Yu: Shenzhen University
Li Wang: Nanchang University
Antoni Rogalski: Military University of Technology
Qi Jie Wang: Nanyang Technological University
Jianbin Xu: The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Weida Hu: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Qisheng Wang: Nanchang University

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract Photon harvesting and conversion in semiconductors hold critical scientific and technological value due to their wide-ranging applications, including optoelectronics, renewable energy, and thermal management. However, the efficiency of optical-to-electrical energy conversion is fundamentally limited by the rapid relaxation of thermalized carriers. Here, we demonstrate a spatial confinement-controlled hot carrier dynamics in a T-shape lead selenide photo-thermoelectric device, which achieves a room temperature external quantum efficiency values exceeding unity. This enhancement arises from spatial confinement-induced local phonon scattering, which suppresses the optical-excited hot carrier relaxation. As a result, the T-shape lead selenide detector achieves a room temperature peak detectivity of 6.3 × 1010 cm Hz1/2 W−1 beyond thermoelectric theoretical limit. This work establishes a transformative pathway for achieving high-efficiency photodetection and energy conversion technologies.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-62548-6

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