Growth and Infrared Light Emission of Emerging van der Waals Semiconductors: Black Phosphorus and Tellurium

Abstract

Infrared luminescent semiconductor materials and devices are fundamental to optoelectronic information technology. van der Waals (vdW) semiconductors, notably black phosphorus (BP) and tellurium (Te), possess a narrow direct bandgap and a low surface/Auger recombination rate, making them promising for infrared luminescence and light-emitting devices. The excitonic behavior and widely tunable band structure of such materials offer versatile pathways for modulating light emission, while the weak interlayer vdW interactions facilitate exceptional heterointegration capabilities. This review begins by addressing the challenges and recent progress in the epitaxial growth of BP and Te thin films. Furthermore, we discuss excitonic near-infrared emission in few-layer BP, mid-infrared emitters derived from thicker BP, and Te-based mid-infrared luminescent devices, along with their potential for spectral and polarization tuning. Finally, key challenges and prospects in this evolving field are summarized.