A Progressive Journey of 2D-Chalcogenides/Carbides/Nitrides based Broadband Photodetectors: Recent Development, and Future Perspective

Photodetection is one of the salient technological prerequisites discussed in the present scientific and technological scenario because of its undeniable omnipresent applications for cutting-edge research. Applications of conventional semiconductors (GaN, Si, CdS, and InGaAs) for photodetection in the industry are gradually minimizing due to their low mechanical firmness (rigidity) and carrier mobility. Whereas 2D materials apart from graphene, including chalcogenides, nitride, and carbides, are paving their way towards more advanced outcomes and overcoming the bottleneck conditions imposed by conventional semiconductors due to their extraordinary electronic and mechanical properties, including flexibility, tunable bandgap, high mobility, and abundant scopes for heterojunctions. This review focuses on the photodetection application of 2D materials comprising their synthesis/assembly techniques, heterojunctions, and performance in different spectral regimes, including solar-blind, visible, near-infrared, and broadband. We further extend our discussion on the hybridization of these van der Waals heterojunctions (vdWHs) with conventional semiconductors and their applications as photodetectors. Finally, we have given a comparative illustration of photodetector performance parameters, providing a clear picture of these materials' acceptability for the development of next-generation photodetectors.