A quantum dot heterojunction photodetector

Abstract

This thesis presents a new device architecture for photodetectors utilizing colloidally grown quantum dots as the principle photo-active component. We implement a thin film of cadmium selenide (CdSe) quantum dot sensitizers, sandwiched between an electron-transporting titanium dioxide (TiO2) layer and a hole-transporting N,N' diphenyl-N,N' bis(3-ethylphenyl)-(1,1'-biphenyl)- 4,4'-diamine (TPD) organic small molecule layer. The wide band gap TiO2 and TPD layers are found to block charge injection under reverse bias, yet serve as transport layers for photo-excited charge generated in the CdSe. The internal quantum efficiency is approximately 1% at zero bias and saturates at 3% at -1V. Current-voltage sweeps yield low dark current in reverse bias and significant hysteresis under illumination. We speculate that the hysteresis and low quantum efficiency are due to charge accumulation at the TiO2/CdSe interface.