Printed Two-Dimensional Materials for Flexible Photodetectors: Materials, Processes, and Applications

With the rapid development of micro-nano technology and wearable devices, flexible photodetectors (PDs) have drawn widespread interest in areas such as healthcare, consumer electronics, and intelligence interfaces. Two-dimensional (2D) materials with layered structures have excellent optoelectronic properties and mechanical flexibility, which attract a great deal of attention in flexible applications. Although photodetectors based on mechanically exfoliated 2D materials have demonstrated superior performance compared to traditional Si-based PDs, large-scale manufacturing and flexible integration remain significant challenges for achieving industrial production. The emerging various printing technology provides a low-cost and highly effective method for integrated manufacturing. In this review, we comprehensively introduce the most recent progress on printed flexible 2D material PDs. We first reviewed the most recent research on flexible photodetectors, in which the discussion is focused on substrate materials, functional materials, and performance figures of merits. Furthermore, the solution processing for 2D materials coupled with printing functional film strategies to produce PDs are summarized. Subsequently, the various applications of flexible PDs, such as image sensors, healthcare, and wearable electronics, are also summarized. Finally, we point out the potential challenges of the printed flexible 2D material PDs and expect this work to inspire the development of flexible PDs and promote the mass manufacturing process.