Novel Low-Dimensional Material-Based Photodetectors for Sensing and Imaging Applications
A special issue of Sensors (ISSN 1424-8220). This special issue belongs to the section "Sensing and Imaging".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026 | Viewed by 423
Special Issue Editors
Interests: 2D materials; optoelectronic devices; van der Waals heterostructures; transition metal dichalcogenides; light-matter interation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: optoelectronics; semiconductor; plasmonics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
In recent years, low-dimensional materials—including quantum dots (QDs), nanowires (NWs), and two-dimensional (2D) materials—have emerged as revolutionary building blocks for next-generation photodetectors. Their exceptional optoelectronic properties, such as tunable bandgaps, high carrier mobility, strong light–matter interactions, and atomic-scale thickness, enable high performance in photodetection, thereby surpassing traditional bulk semiconductors. At the same time, new computational methods are emerging to enable photodetectors to achieve better performance in imaging applications. This Special Issue aims to highlight cutting-edge advances in low-dimensional material-based photodetectors and computational methods for their transformative applications in sensing, imaging, and integrated photonic systems.
The unique advantages of low-dimensional materials lie in their size-dependent quantum effects and versatile integration capabilities. For instance, QDs exhibit size-tunable absorption spectra, enabling broadband or selective photodetection. One-dimensional nanowires offer directional charge transport and enhanced light trapping, which are ideal for high-speed and polarization-sensitive devices. Meanwhile, 2D materials (e.g., graphene, transition metal dichalcogenides, and MXenes) combine ultrahigh surface-to-volume ratios with mechanical flexibility, thereby opening avenues for wearable sensors and ultrathin imaging arrays. Beyond conventional photodetection, these materials are driving innovations in emerging fields such as in-sensor computing, neuromorphic optoelectronics, and photonic logic circuits, where light detection and signal processing converge at the device level.
This Special Issue invites original research articles and reviews covering topics including, but not limited to, the following:
- Synthesis and characterization of novel low-dimensional optoelectronic
- High-performance photodetectors with enhanced responsivity, detectivity, speed, and spectral range.
- Advanced applications: bio-inspired sensors, hyperspectral imaging, LiDAR, night vision, and medical diagnostics.
- System integration: flexible/wearable optoelectronics, on-chip photonic systems, and integration with silicon photonics.
- Next-generation concepts: computational imaging, in-sensor computing, optoelectronic synapses, non-volatile photomemory, and light-driven logic devices.
We look forward to your contributions.
Prof. Dr. Li Tao
Dr. Ziyuan Li
Guest Editors
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Keywords
- low-dimensional materials
- photodetectors
- 2D materials
- nanowires
- quantum dots
- in-sensor computing
- imaging
- heterostructures
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