Recently, the Quantum Theory and Functional Devices research group from School of Physics and Electronics Engineering of Jiangsu University (JSU) published three papers in the internationally renowned academic journal Advanced Functional Materials and Physical Review A, with JSU as the first completion institution. Corresponding author Prof. Chen Yuanping led the work.
The group’s paper, titled "High-Performance Infrared Self-Powered Photodetector Based on 2D van der Waals Heterostructures" (Adv. Funt. Mater. 2421525, 2025), proposes a high-performance self-powered infrared photodetector utilizing a PdSe₂/MoTe₂ van der Waals heterostructure. The device achieves an ultra-broad spectral response (300–4050 nm) under zero bias, with performance metrics at 980 nm comparable to those of 2D/3D heterostructure devices. The study identifies three essential criteria for constructing high-performance 2D/2D self-driven infrared photodetectors: (1) a large work function difference between the two materials, (2) high infrared absorption, and (3) type-II band alignment. Distinct from existing infrared-band 2D/3D photodetectors, this work provides a novel design strategy for miniaturized, low-power 2D/2D infrared photodetectors, demonstrating significant application potential in infrared imaging, flexible electronics, and IoT devices.
The research team also published a series of articles in Physical Review A. In the paper "Enhancement in the Temperature Sensing of a Reservoir by a Kerr-Nonlinear Resonator" (Phys. Rev. A 111, 012412(2025)), a high-precision temperature sensors scheme employing a Kerr-nonlinear resonator was proposed. The thermalization in this scheme was evaluated via fidelity, while metrological potential is evaluated by quantum Fisher information. Temperature measurement precision was significantly enhanced by increasing the Kerr nonlinearity coefficient and driving amplitude. Furthermore, the underlying physical mechanisms were explored by analyzing probe purity in steady-state and evaluating the performance of homodyne versus heterodyne detection methods. The study demonstrated that optimal homodyne detection consistently outperforms heterodyne detection.
Another paper, "Sub-shot-noise Sensitivity via Superpositions of Two Deformed Kitten States" (Phys. Rev. A 111, 032407 (2025)), introducs nonclassical states based on the superpositions of two kitten states, refined through photon addition and subtraction, leading to critical sub-Planckian features in phase space. Adding photons enhances these traits, while the impact of photon subtraction depends on the situation: applied directly, it preserves the crucial feature of the state, but applied after photon addition, it eliminates them. The concomitant improvement in sensitivity of the states makes them a valuable resource for continuous variable quantum information processing, specifically quantum measurements and image processing, and the isotropic enhancement in this sensitivity makes them more effective for quantum measurements than their existing anisotropic counterparts.
