Patent ID: 8878120

Claim:
A method of adjusting the sensitivity of a photodetector to photons having a photon energy, comprising the steps of: (i) providing said photodetector with a photodetection material having an electron energy bandgap that is alterable by inducing strain in the photodetection material; (ii) providing an electrically-conductive substrate having a layer of an electrically-insulating material thereupon, the layer of electrically-insulating material defining an opening through which a portion of the electrically-conductive substrate is exposed, wherein the photodetection material is supported by the electrically-insulating material so as to expose the photodetection material to the exposed portion of the electrically-conductive substrate; (iii) providing an adjustable voltage source that is electrically connected to the electrically-conductive substrate and the photodetection material; and (iv) adjusting the voltage source so as to induce strain in the photodetection material to thereby alter said electron energy bandgap of said photodetection material to an electron energy bandgap equal to or lower than said photon energy, wherein said photodetection material is selected from the group consisting of graphene layers, carbon nanotubes, and graphene nanoribbons.