Bandgap-engineered GaAsSb alloy nanowires for near-infrared photodetection at 1.31 μm

Single-nanowire photodetectors have potential applications in integrated optoelectronic devices and systems. Here, bandgap-engineered GaAs0.26Sb0.74 alloy nanowires were synthesized via a chemical vapor deposition method. The synthesized nanowires are single crystals grown along the [111](B) direction with length up to 50 mu m and diameter ranging from 40 to 500 nm. Photodetectors are built based on these single-alloy nanowires, which show a wide response in the near-infrared region with a high response peak located in the optical communication region (1.31 mu m), as well as an external quantum efficiency of 1.62 x 10(5)%, a responsivity of 1.7 x 10(3) A W-1 and a short response time of 60 ms. These novel near-infrared photodetectors may find promising potential applications in integrated infrared photodetection, thermal imaging, information communication and processing.