Optically gated transduction enables silicon electrical readout of mid-infrared light
Abstract
Silicon is the dominant platform for integrated photonics, yet its wide electronic bandgap of 1.1 eV fundamentally prevents efficient detection of mid-infrared (MIR) photons through direct valence band to conduction band excitation. Existing approaches therefore seek to enhance sub-bandgap absorption or introduce external infrared absorbers. Here we demonstrate a profoundly different detection strategy based on optically gated transduction, in which MIR photons modulate a pre-established excitation state rather than directly generating photocarriers. Our device integrates Nd3+-doped lanthanide nanoparticles with an inverse-designed Al/p-Si metasurface supporting dual resonances that simultaneously enhances optical gating in the near infrared and resonantly couples incident MIR radiation. The MIR illumination redistributes the Nd3+ emission pathways, producing an optical-state change that is converted into an electrical signal through a silicon Schottky junction. The device achieves room-temperature zero-bias detection at 6.8 um with a modulation responsivity of 103 uA/W and resolves combined gate and MIR inputs into three electrically distinguishable current states. Rather than extending silicon absorption into the infrared, this work establishes gated optical transduction as a route for reading MIR optical information on a silicon platform, opening opportunities for integrated infrared sensing, signal processing and programmable photonic systems.
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BibTeX
@misc{zhang2026optically,
title = {{Optically gated transduction enables silicon electrical readout of mid-infrared light}},
author = {Shutao Zhang and Jiaqing Shen and Chongwu Wang and Jiahui Xu and Wei Chen and Qing Yang Steve Wu and Yan Liu and Xie Yuen Gok and Febiana Tjiptoharsono and Xiaogang Liu and Qi Jie Wang and Joel K. W. Yang and Jinfeng Zhu and Zhaogang Dong},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2610.36475},
eprint = {2610.36475},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.36475},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Optically gated transduction enables silicon electrical readout of mid-infrared light
AU - Shutao Zhang
AU - Jiaqing Shen
AU - Chongwu Wang
AU - Jiahui Xu
AU - Wei Chen
AU - Qing Yang Steve Wu
AU - Yan Liu
AU - Xie Yuen Gok
AU - Febiana Tjiptoharsono
AU - Xiaogang Liu
AU - Qi Jie Wang
AU - Joel K. W. Yang
AU - Jinfeng Zhu
AU - Zhaogang Dong
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/27
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2610.36475
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.36475
AB - Silicon is the dominant platform for integrated photonics, yet its wide electronic bandgap of 1.1 eV fundamentally prevents efficient detection of mid-infrared (MIR) photons through direct valence band to conduction band excitation. Existing approaches therefore seek to enhance sub-bandgap absorption or introduce external infrared absorbers. Here we demonstrate a profoundly different detection strategy based on optically gated transduction, in which MIR photons modulate a pre-established excitation state rather than directly generating photocarriers. Our device integrates Nd3+-doped lanthanide nanoparticles with an inverse-designed Al/p-Si metasurface supporting dual resonances that simultaneously enhances optical gating in the near infrared and resonantly couples incident MIR radiation. The MIR illumination redistributes the Nd3+ emission pathways, producing an optical-state change that is converted into an electrical signal through a silicon Schottky junction. The device achieves room-temperature zero-bias detection at 6.8 um with a modulation responsivity of 103 uA/W and resolves combined gate and MIR inputs into three electrically distinguishable current states. Rather than extending silicon absorption into the infrared, this work establishes gated optical transduction as a route for reading MIR optical information on a silicon platform, opening opportunities for integrated infrared sensing, signal processing and programmable photonic systems.
ER -