Broadband Circularly Polarized Light Detection via Spin-Selective Charge Transport in Quantum Dot Photodiodes

Published

February 2, 2026

Author(s)

Minseo Kim, Shi Li, Kyunghoon Lee, Eonhyoung Ahn, Soyeon Lee, Kiwook Kim, Hang Kim, Wookyung Yu, Changsoon Choi, Jung Ah Lim, Jeeseong Hwang, Dae-Hyeong Kim, Jiwoong Yang

Abstract

Circularly polarized light (CPL) detection provides polarization-resolved information, enabling advanced applications in quantum technologies, bioimaging, secure communications, and multi-level optical data processing. However, conventional CPL photodetectors typically rely on intrinsic optical chirality of light absorbing materials, limiting most demonstrations to the ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) range and hindering extension into the near-infrared (NIR) and shortwave-infrared (SWIR), spectral regions critical for deep tissue imaging and low-visibility sensing. Here, we demonstrate broadband UV–Vis–NIR–SWIR CPL detection with quantum dot (QD) photodiodes that exploit the chiral-induced spin selectivity effect in chiral-ZnO charge transport layers. Chiral ligand-functionalized ZnO electron transport layers selectively transmit spin-polarized charge carriers generated from intrinsically achiral QDs, enabling CPL-specific photocurrent generation even in spectral regions without intrinsic chiral absorption. Heavy-metal-free Cu–In–Se QD photodiodes exhibit outstanding specific detectivity of 1.28×1012 Jones and broadband CPL detection (gIph 0.17 at 260 nm and 0.13 at 780 nm) across UV–Vis–NIR, while PbS QD-devices achieve comparable performance with extended CPL detection into SWIR (1700 nm). The chiral-transport-driven strategy offers fundamental insights into chiral photodetection mechanisms with achiral absorbers and establishes a scalable and optically passive platform for broadband polarization-resolved optoelectronics.

Citation

Advanced Materials

Volume

38

Issue

14

Pub Type

Journals

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Keywords

circularly polarized light detection, chiral-induced spin selectivity, spin-selective charge transport, quantum dot photodiodes, infrared

Citation

Kim, M. , Li, S. , Lee, K. , Ahn, E. , Lee, S. , Kim, K. , Kim, H. , Yu, W. , Choi, C. , Lim, J. , Hwang, J. , Kim, D. and Yang, J. (2026), Broadband Circularly Polarized Light Detection via Spin-Selective Charge Transport in Quantum Dot Photodiodes, Advanced Materials, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=960888 (Accessed June 24, 2026)

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