Modulation anisotropy of nanomaterials toward monolithic integrated polarization-sensitive photodetectors

Abstract

By virtue of the unique ability of providing additional information beyond light intensity and spectra, polarization-sensitive photodetectors could precisely identify the targets in several concealed, camouflaged, and non-cooperative backgrounds, making them highly suitable for potential applications in remote sensing, astronomical detection, and medical diagnosis, etc. Therefore, to provide a comprehensive design guideline for a wide range of interdisciplinary researchers, this review provides a general overview of state-of-the-art linear, circular, and Full-Stokes polarization-sensitive photodetectors, respectively. In particular, from the perspectives of technological progress and the development of nanoscience, the detailed discussion focuses on how to reduce the size of high-performance polarization-sensitive photodetectors from complex to simple, achieving a smaller volume. In addition, to lay a solid ground for modulating the properties of future nanostructure-based polarization-sensitive photodetectors, the insight about light-matter interactions in low-symmetry materials and asymmetric structures is demonstrated here. Meanwhile, corresponding opportunities and challenges in this research field are identified.