Search arXivSearch

arXiv subjects

Valentin Semkin

Publications and source records attributed to Valentin Semkin.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

Large Nernst effect in chemically derived multilayer graphene at millitesla magnetic fields

Simple synthesis of graphitic compounds, their high conductivity, and integrability with other materials motivate the effort toward graphite-based thermoelectric generators. At the same time, semimetallic nature of graphite and graphene results in nearly-zero thermopower due to electron-hole compensation. Here, we observe large transverse thermopower in chemically derived multilayer graphene films with strong fluctuations of thickness and carrier density at low magnetic fields $B$. Using the scanning laser-induced heating of macroscopic film, we find that transverse (Nernst) thermoelectric voltage becomes comparable to the longitudinal thermoelectric voltage at the metal-doped graphene contact at $B^*\approx4$ mT and ambient conditions. Estimates of transverse thermopower $S_{xy}$ based on the known laser-induced temperature show that it is as large as $\sim 10$ $\mu$V/K at $B^*$, and raises in a sub-linear fashion to 250 $\mu$V/K at $B\approx315$ mT, the maximum field we reach with centimeter-sized permanent magnet. Extra increase in thermoelectric signal is achieved upon voltage measurement at Hall probes when the dc field lines are co-directional with local Nernst current. Our results show the promise of large-scale multilayer graphene for thermoelectricity generation.

cond-mat.mes-hall

All-in-plane image sensors free from readout integrated circuits

High resolution image sensors require electrical access to each individual pixel for signal readout. Such access is especially challenging for ultra-miniaturized pixels, for heterogeneously integrated sensing and readout layers in long-wavelength detectors, and for novel light-sensing materials with unestablished integration to silicon chips. Here, we introduce and experimentally validate a novel imaging approach that does not require electrical connections to individual pixels. The sensor matrix involves photoresistive pixels connected neighbor-to-neighbor and packed into a rectangular lattice. The signal readout is based on electrical impedance tomography applied to the photoresistance: the photovoltage is measured at the matrix boundary at various positions of injected bias current, and the image is reconstructed algorithmically. We present experimental validations for moderate-size infrared imagers based on multilayer graphene (24 pixels) and amorphous vanadium oxide (264 pixels). The reconstruction procedure is mathematically stable, sustainable to variations of pixel resistivity and photosensitivity, and its complexity is that of linear system solution. The proposed method enables unprecedented architecture simplification of imaging devices.

cond-mat.mes-hall

Universal reconstructive polarimetry with graphene-metal infrared photodetectors

Recent advent of smart photodetectors, where in-situ tuning of responsivity enables the reconstruction of light intensity, polarization and spectrum by a single device, has revolutionized the field of optoelectronics. So far, most such reconstructive detectors were realized with non-scalable technology of van der Waals stacking. Here, we demonstrate the infrared reconstructive polarimetry with photodetectors based on conventional gated graphene-metal junctions. The reconstruction exploits the gate tuning of polarization contrast, which enables the determination of both infrared power and polarization angle from photovoltage measurements at two different gate voltages. The physics enabling the polarimetry lies in polarization-dependent shift of the electron hot spot near the contact, and the gate tuning of photosensitive barrier width. We further show the universality of polarization reconstruction, i.e. its feasibility with different geometries of the junction, and with graphene of different quality, from boron-nitride encapsulated flakes to the scalable chemical vapor deposited films.

cond-mat.mes-hall

Multifunctional 2d infrared photodetectors enabled by asymmetric singular metasurfaces

Two-dimensional materials offering ultrafast photoresponse suffer from low intrinsic absorbance, especially in the mid-infrared wavelength range. Challenges in 2d material doping further complicate the creation of light-sensitive $p-n$ junctions. Here, we experimentally demonstrate a graphene-based infrared detector with simultaneously enhanced absorption and strong structural asymmetry enabling zero-bias photocurrent. A key element for those properties is an asymmetric singular metasurface (ASMS) atop graphene with keen metal wedges providing singular enhancement of local absorbance. The ASMS geometry predefines extra device functionalities. The structures with connected metallic wedges demonstrate polarization ratios up to 200 in a broad range of carrier densities at a wavelength of 8.6 $\mu$m. The structures with isolated wedges display gate-controlled switching between polarization-discerning and polarization-stable photoresponse, a highly desirable yet scarce property for polarized imaging.

cond-mat.mes-hall

Polarization-resolving graphene-based mid-infrared detector

The ability to resolve the polarization of light with on-chip devices represents an urgent problem in optoelectronics. The detectors with polarization resolution demonstrated so far mostly require multiple oriented detectors or movable external polarizers. Here, we experimentally demonstrate the feasibility to resolve the polarization of mid-infrared light with a single chemical-vapor-deposited graphene-channel device with dissimilar metal contacts. This possibility stems from an unusual dependence of photoresponse at graphene-metal junctions on gate voltage and polarization angle. Namely, there exist certain gate voltages providing the polarization-insensitive signal; operation at these voltages can be used for power calibration of the detector. At other gate voltages, the detector features very strong polarization sensitivity, with the ratio of signals for two orthogonal polarizations reaching ~10. Operation at these voltages can provide information about polarization angles, after the power calibration. We show that such unusual gate- and polarization-dependence of photosignal can appear upon competition of isotropic and anisotropic photovoltage generation pathways and discuss the possible physical candidates.

cond-mat.mes-hall