High-performance black silicon photodetectors operating over a wide temperature range

The temperature-dependent photodetection properties of sulfur-hyperdoped silicon fabricated with a femtosecond laser were studied from 10 to 300 K. The fabricated photodetector exhibits high peak photo-responsivity exceeding 10 A/W and extremely high specific detectivity greater than 2×1012 Jones throughout the temperature cycle, as well as wide-band detection sensitivity from 400 to 1200 nm. Carrier behaviors studied from Hall measurements reveal that the ultrafast and ultra-strong interactions between femtosecond laser pulses and silicon induces hyperdoped carriers in a wide distribution of sub-bandgap levels, which guarantees high carrier activities from 10 to 300 K. The wide useful temperature range renders the sulfur-hyperdoped silicon photodetector promising applications in multifunctional optoelectronic devices. [Display omitted] •Temperature-dependent photoelectric properties of sulfur-hyperdoped silicon fabricated by femtosecond laser is investigated.•The device maintains a high detectivity above 1012 Jones over a wide temperature range from 10 to 300 K.•Carrier behaviors reveal the importance of hyperdoping process for the wide temperature range performance.