High Responsivity Fire Detectors Based on PbS Colloidal Quantum Dot Photoconductors

• Published in: IEEE photonics technology letters Vol. 29; no. 9; pp. 703 - 706
• Main Authors: De Iacovo, Andrea, Venettacci, Carlo, Colace, Lorenzo, Scopa, Leonardo, Foglia, Sabrina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York IEEE 01-05-2017; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Colloidal quantum dots; Detectors; fire detectors; Fires; Lead; Ligands; Optical filters; Optical sensors; Photoconducting materials; Photodetectors
• ISSN: 1041-1135; 1941-0174
• DOI: 10.1109/LPT.2017.2680741

In this letter, we report on high responsivity fire detectors based on PbS colloidal quantum dots photoconductors. The devices operate in the near infrared and are equipped with a visible light silicon filter for wavelength selectivity. Devices are fabricated by a simple, low cost, and silicon compatible process based on drop casting of a ligand exchanged solution of PbS nanoparticles. The photodetectors exhibit responsivity as high as 20 A/W at 1-V bias. We exploit the combination of their high responsivity and spectral response for the development of a novel fire detector able to detect a small flame at a distance exceeding 15 m in ambient illumination.