IIT Guwahati innovates cost-effective photodetector in healthcare

In an innovative research, Indian Institute of Guwahati have built a cost-effective photodetector. They used advanced materials and techniques. The breakthrough technology, is based on formamidinium perovskite and plasmonic nanoparticles, which exhibits enhanced light detection capabilities with important potential application across environmental monitoring, healthcare and solar energy industries.

A photodetector is an essential device that detects light and converts it into electrical signals. It plays a significant role in various technology, like cameras, medical imaging, devices, sensors and communication system as well.

The research is published in the prestigious ACS Applied Material and Interfaces journal. It was co-authored by Prof P K Giri, Department of Physics, and his research scholar, Debabrata Sahu,Subhankar Debnath, and Sirsendu Ghosal , at IIT Guwahati.

The formamidinium-based perovskite used in the research is known for its better stability and high light conversion efficiency. But, enhancing its light absorption and electrical performance while keeping production costs low has been a challenge.

To focus the concern, the IIT Guwahati research team integrated an array of 2D printing plasmonic nanoparties-they are the tiny particles made up of noble metals like silver (Ag)-into their perovskite photodetector.

Talking about the research, Professor P K Giri, said, “Our goal was to create a photodetector that is not only highly efficient but also affordable and durable for real-world applications. By incorporating 2D printed plasmonic nanoparticles into the design, we have significantly enhanced the device’s performance while ensuring scalability and cost-effectiveness.”

The team utilized a special microprinting technique to precisely arrange the silver nanoparticles, improving the device’s sensitivity. Which also made the manufacturing process scalable and economical. The photodetector remains stable under normal environmental conditions. It ensures durability for practical applications across various industries.

This innovation has capability to transform industries by improving medical imaging, enhancing environmental monitoring accuracy and booting solar energy efficiency. It paves way for real-world applications and addresses the global concerns.