Two-dimensional tellurium-polymer membrane for ultrafast photonicsElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c9nr00736a

• Main Authors: Guo, Jia, Zhao, Jinlai, Huang, Dazhou, Wang, Yunzheng, Zhang, Feng, Ge, Yanqi, Song, Yufeng, Xing, Chenyang, Fan, Dianyuan, Zhang, Han
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 28.03.2019
• DOI: 10.1039/c9nr00736a
• ISSN: 2040-3364

Tellurium (Te) exhibits many intriguing properties including thermoelectricity, photoelectricity, piezoelectricity, and photoconductivity, and is widely used in detectors, sensors, transistors, and energy devices. Herein, ultrathin two-dimensional (2D) Te nanosheets were fabricated using a facile and cost-effective liquid-phase exfoliation method. Mixing the as-prepared 2D Te nanosheets with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) provided a uniform 2D Te/PVP membrane. The 2D Te/PVP membrane exhibited excellent mechanical properties, thermal properties, and stability. The nonlinear optical properties of the membrane were characterized over the spectral range of 800 to 1550 nm using open-aperture Z -scan technology. A large nonlinear absorption coefficient of about 10 −1 cm GW −1 over the whole tested wavelength range demonstrated the efficient broadband saturable absorptivity of the 2D Te/PVP membrane. Using the 2D Te/PVP membrane as a saturable absorber (SA), a highly stable femtosecond laser with a pulse duration of 829 fs in the communication band was obtained. This work highlights the promise of 2D Te/PVP membranes in ultrafast photonics and Te as a new 2D material for use in photonic devices such as all-optical modulators, switches, and thresholds. Tellurium (Te) exhibits many intriguing properties including thermoelectricity, photoelectricity, piezoelectricity, and photoconductivity, and is widely used in detectors, sensors, transistors, and energy devices.