Modulation of light absorption in flexible GeSn metal–semiconductor–metal photodetectors by mechanical bending

Abstract

We have demonstrated flexible GeSn metal–semiconductor–metal (MSM) photodetectors (PDs) by exploring the effect of mechanical strain on their optoelectronic properties. The PDs were fabricated from transfer-printed GeSn nanomembranes on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates. Strain was introduced into the GeSn PDs under bend-down (uniaxial tensile strain) and bend-up (uniaxial compressive strain) conditions and their values were measured by Raman spectroscopy. The applied strain can affect the band-structure of the GeSn alloys, leading to a modulation of the electrical and optical characteristics of the PDs. Accordingly, dark current characteristics show an increase from 8.1 to 10.3 μA under the bend-down conditions and a decrease to 7.2 μA under the bend-up conditions, respectively. The optical responsivity at a wavelength of 2 μm increased by 151% under bend-down conditions, while it decreases by 35% under bend-up conditions. A theoretical study was carried out to support the fact that the responsivity enhancement is attributed to the change in the absorption coefficient of the strained GeSn. The results offer a new pathway to modulate the optical properties of GeSn for flexible applications.