Graphene Sensor 1,000 Times More Sensitive Than Those Currently in Use

Graphene, the wonder product that won its creator a Nobel Peace Prize, is at it again - this time in the form of a revolutionary sensor that will soon allow cameras to take clear, sharp photos even in dim conditions, according to the man behind the discovery.

The device is believed to be the first with the ability to detect broad spectrum light, from the visible to mid-infrared, and all with 1,000 more sensitivity to light than sensors in use today.

Suitable for everything from satellite imaging to traffic speed cameras, the sensor uses 10 times less energy as it operates at lower voltages, meaning that once mass produced, it could go for as much as five times less than current sensors.

The technology behind the device was achieved, according to inventor Assistant Professor Wang Qijie of Nanyang Technological University, by fabricating a graphene sheet into novel nano structures – all the while, he said, keeping current manufacturing practices in mind.

The result is a model that can be produced using the CMOS (Completmentary metal-oxide-semiconductor) process, the prevailing method used by the majority of factories in the electronics industry.

“Therefore,” he said, “manufacturers can easily replace the current base material of photo sensors with our new nano-structure graphene material.”

The way the sensor works is through the creation of nanostructures on graphene that “trap” light-generated electron particles for a much longer period of time than its competitors, allowing for a much stronger electric signal that can be processed into an image.

Ultimately, these trapped electrons are vital for achieving high photoresponse in graphene, making the device far more effective than the normal CMOS or CCD (charge-coupled device) image sensors.

The invention, however, is not perfect yet, according to Wang.

“The performance of our graphene sensor can be further improved, such as the response speed, through nanostructure engineering of graphene, and preliminary results already verified the feasibility of our concept,” Wang said.

Graphene is a material just one-atom thick and comprised of pure carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb structure. It’s properties include high electrical conductivity, durability and flexibility, among other things.