The inherent loss issues of existing surface plasmon materials significantly limit their applications in various optical and optoelectronic devices. In particular, substantial plasmon absorption and backscattering remain major challenges to achieving enhancements in high-efficiency multi-junction solar cells. In this study, we abstracted the dielectric constants of plasmonic materials and investigated the enhancement mechanisms of general plasmonic materials in photovoltaic devices. By optimizing the dielectric constant, optical loss can be effectively mitigated, and ideal materials with weak dispersion could enhance the broadband spectral response and current density of triple-junction GaAs solar cells. Additionally, a comparative analysis of actual plasmonic materials demonstrated that silver, gold, and aluminum align with the optimized enhancement parameters within specific spectral ranges. These results provide valuable guidance for the selection and design of advanced plasmonic materials tailored to future photovoltaic applications.

Ultrabroadband photodetectors are essential for applications such as biomedical imaging, environmental assessment, optical data transmission, gas detection, and security monitoring. However, traditional semiconductor detectors are typically limited to detection within a single spectral range, and achieving ultrabroadband detection often requires integrating multiple detectors. This is particularly challenging in the terahertz range, where detection is constrained by high dark currents and the need for cryogenic cooling. As a result, expanding the detection range has become a critical focus in optoelectronic development. In this study, we successfully demonstrated ultrabroadband detection from the visible to terahertz spectrum at room temperature using a heterojunction formed by Ta2NiSe5 and graphene, driven by multiple physical mechanisms. The detector leverages the combined effects of photoexcited electron-hole pairs and the photothermal response triggered by the asymmetry of the heterojunction, achieving responsivities of 4.8 mA/W at 638 nm, 3.8 mA/W at 1550 nm, 42.9 mA/W at 0.12 THz, and 14.6 mA/W at 0.3 THz. Additionally, the device achieves NEP values as low as 7 pW/Hz(1/2) at 0.12 THz and 23 pW/Hz(1/2) at 0.3 THz, with a response time of 7.4 mu s at 0.12 THz. Our findings demonstrate a novel approach to ultrabroadband detection, achieving high sensitivity and fast response by leveraging multiple physical mechanisms. This work opens new avenues for the future development of optoelectronic detection technologies.

Disorder is often considered the opposite of order, lacking quantitative methods and being difficult to control. Disordered nanostructures can be conveniently prepared by bottom-up approaches, such as self-assembly, but their intrinsic randomness is often considered to lead to unpredictable results, impeding reproducibility and application. Here, we demonstrate that deterministic, angle-dependent visual appearances induced by specific correlated disorder can be achieved through bottom-up approaches, and reveal plenty of room for tailoring color appearance between order and random disorder. Two unprecedented iridescent visual appearances, backscattering iridescence (rainbow-like color transition covering more than five distinct colors at backscattering angles), and specular iridescent halo (gradual color changes in the visible light range around specular reflection direction), are proposed and demonstrated to be induced by correlated disorder at different degrees, which is regulated by interparticle distance. Besides elucidating the mechanism of iridescence generation, a comprehensive protocol for predicting the color appearance is established, and agrees well with experimental results. Combining bottom-up process, materials with low absorption, and tailored spatial disorder, we have endowed solar cells with colorful appearances, while maintaining the performance, which can serve as a solution for photovoltaic-integrated architectures and vehicles. This study advances the understanding of how disorder shapes color and angular appearance, and will find applications in energy photonics, dazzling arts, and anticounterfeiting.

Photonic nanostructures have achieved nanoscale optical field modulation and ultra-low refractive index effects that traditional thin film materials cannot reach, providing a new direction for optical management and carrier management of photovoltaic devices. Dielectric nanostructures can reduce the surface light reflection of photovoltaic devices, similar to traditional antireflection films. Therefore, dielectric nanostructures are usually equivalent to the equivalent refractive index theory at the macro level. However, the macroscopic refractive index equivalent cannot reflect the manipulation ability of nanoscale light fields, and the influence of the nanoscale light field distribution on the photo-carrier generation and transport is usually ignored. Here, we introduce the self-assembly process of dielectric nanostructures on photovoltaic devices, which may lead to the controllable assembly of the density and number of layers on polycrystalline silicon solar cells. Based on this strategy, we investigate the enhancement effect of SiO2 nanosphere coating on textured silicon solar cells by systematically changing assembly conditions. Research has found that tightly packed SiO2 nanosphere monolayers generate a maximum relative efficiency improvement of 9.35%. This efficiency increase is attributed to the simultaneous enhancement of short-circuit current density and fill factor, which is different from the antireflection effect reported previously. Further, through semiconductor simulations, we theoretically analyzed the impact of nanoscale light focusing on the performance of photovoltaic devices. We explored the reasons for the changes in photocurrent, fill factor, and efficiency, providing ideas for more efficient nanoscale light focusing design and improving the performance of photovoltaic devices in the future.

Ultrasound induced cavitation effects can dramatically affect physicochemical performance in photocatalysis as a result of enhanced mass transfer and the formation of highly active radicals under localized high temperature and pressure. The use of ultrasound facilitates a systematic control of photo-generated carrier properties within a nanostructured framework. Considerable research efforts have been directed at developing methodologies for the design of nanostructures with a high degree of precision. We provide a comprehensive overview of rational strategies in the sonochemical synthesis of photocatalysts and address the viability of controlling catalyst structural features. Research progress in sono-photocatalysis and piezo-photocatalysis is assessed, focusing on the integration of cavitation phenomena and artificial nanostructures in terms of practical application. Moreover, we evaluate current technologies used in quantitative analysis as a means of understanding the underlying mechanisms and evaluating catalyst properties predictably and reproducibly. Finally, we provide some insight into the possibilities, limitations and perspectives in this field.

We describe the latest advances in infrared luminescence of 2D vdW heterostructures and discuss the emerging applications of these new systems.