ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the authors report on the device model for the infrared photodetectors based on the van der Waals heterostructures with the radiation absorbing graphene layers (GL). They calculate the photocurrent and the GL infrared photodetector (GLIP) responsivity at weak and strong intensities of the incident radiation and conclude that the GLIPs can surpass or compete with the existing infrared and terahertz photodetectors. The authors evaluate the GLIP response at elevated IR radiation intensities. This, in particular, can provide the insight on the GLIP operation in the background limited infrared performance regime and evaluate the dynamic range of the GLIP operation. The saturation of the IR radiation absorption due to the Pauli principle can be an additional mechanism of the current-intensity characteristic nonlinearity but at relatively high IR radiation powers. The thermionic emission of the ele.ctrons thermalized in the GLs can contribute to the net current in the GLIPs.
