Smart fiber photodetectors based on inorganic semiconductors

Fiber photodetectors (FPDs) with high deformability, flexible designability, and seamless integrability with everyday textiles hold tremendous potential for the next-generation wearable optoelectronics. Inorganic semiconductors (ISCs) are considered the ideal building block to design and govern the functions of FPDs owing to their superior electrical and optical properties. Recent developments in wearable technology of ISCs, especially in fiber form factor, have driven the creation of various FPDs with smart capabilities, from light sensing, information interfacing, to sophisticated logic operating, revolutionizing human-machine interaction paradigms in many emerging fields. Herein, we present a comprehensive review of the recent progress of ISC-based FPDs. Firstly, key design principles for ISC-based FPDs are explored, encompassing material selection, fabrication technologies, device architectures, and textile integration strategies. Then, how defect engineering, alignment engineering, and heterojunction engineering of ISCs can control the optoelectronic performance of FPDs is examined. Following this, potential wearable applications of ISC-based FPDs in optical communication, image sensing, and health monitoring are analyzed. Finally, the challenges and perspectives for the design of high-performance ISC-based FPDs are outlined.