Physicists drew inspiration from desert ants to develop a new photodetector.

A polarization photodetector (pol-PDs) is a device that measures light characteristics related to its polarization. Polarization describes the direction of oscillations of the electric field of a light wave. This information is crucial for analyzing the properties of objects that interact with light.

An example of polarization use is polarized sunglasses. They block part of the sunlight and reduce glare on water, windows, and other reflective surfaces due to a special coating that filters light with a specific polarization direction.

Polarization photodetectors are utilized in geological remote sensing, machine vision, and medicine. However, such devices typically require bulky and complex optical components, which hinders their integration into existing instruments and technological processes.

Polarization visualization offers numerous advantages: it enables multi-dimensional detection, ensures high accuracy and contrast, and operates effectively in foggy conditions. Consequently, researchers are seeking ways to miniaturize polarization photodetectors.

A team of physicists drew inspiration from the ability of desert runner ants of the genus Cataglyphis to distinguish light polarization. This ability allows the ants to return to their nests by navigating using the daytime sky, even when there are no physical landmarks in their path. Their complex compound eyes enable them to perceive the polarized radiation from the sun.

The researchers replicated this capability in their polarization photodetector. They employed a one-step nanopatterning crystallization method to create a highly crystalline perovskite monolayer film with lattice arrays oriented in four directions.

Their new method and biologically inspired surface structure allowed for the development of a compact polarization photodetector that captures data in a single cycle and is formed directly on the chip with all necessary components for information processing. As a result, the device does not require additional optical components for polarization operation. The study, conducted under the guidance of Professor Li Mingzhu (Li Mingzhu), has been published in the journal Science Advances.

Furthermore, nanopatterning crystallization could become a universal approach for creating patterned perovskite monolayer films with high optoelectronic performance and improved light manipulation capabilities. This technology opens the door to the development of other biologically inspired polarization photodetectors.