SPINIP

Wearable healthcare devices have disrupted health monitoring with personalized medical diagnostics and real-time data collection. An essential component of such devices are high-performance near-infrared (NIR) photodetectors, which facilitate the non-invasive measurement of vital signs and physiological parameters such as blood oxygenation, heart rate, and pulse rate. Significant progress has been made in exploring functional materials for self-powered NIR photodetectors on rigid substrates. However, the development of flexible self-powered NIR photodetectors and their integration into wearable device applications are largely overlooked in the literature. In SPINIP, we aim to develop efficient and stable flexible NIR photodetectors operating in self-powered mode (or zero bias) based on non-toxic and cost-effective semiconductors tailored for seamless integration into wearable healthcare devices. In particular, we will leverage eco-friendly tin-based perovskite-inspired materials (PIMs), starting from A2SnI6, owing to their broadband photodetection from UV-visible-NIR regions, good air stability, and low-temperature solution processing. The mechanical flexibility of photodetectors is a paramount feature, enabling seamless adherence to various surfaces and conforming to the dynamic movements of the human body. The mechanical flexibility of the device will be investigated via in-situ nanoindentation in FE-SEM. To ensure flexibility, we will perform thorough composition engineering of photoactive PIMs films and explore the synergetic effects of polymer scaffolds and hybrid annealing. The performance of NIR photodetectors will be enhanced by understanding the defect chemistry of PIMs, the charge transport within the device components, and the device physics. The reliability of the photodetectors will be verified in different conditions (environmental, thermal, and mechanical) and will be improved by reducing the ion migration and device engineering approaches.

2024

2026