Photodetectors have become essential in modern technologies, yet traditional designs face challenges in many emerging applications owing to their fixed response characteristics, such as fixed responsivity, bandwidth, dynamic range, and spectral response. This limitation reduces their effectiveness when the target signal or ambient light varies in intensity, frequency, and wavelength, etc. Intelligent photodetectors, featuring postmanufacturing tunability, have emerged as a promising solution by allowing for real-time adaptability. These dynamic devices can adjust key performance metrics during operation, enhancing their versatility and applicability. Beyond basic photodetection, this adaptability lays fundamentals for various new functions, for instance, in-sensor computing and computational spectrum reconstruction. Some devices also offer switchable operation modes and integrated multisensory perception, minimizing the need for auxiliary components and simplifying the system architecture. This review aims to provide a comprehensive and holistic view of the diverse advances in intelligent photodetectors under the concept of tunable mechanisms. Beginning with foundational principles, we explore how postmanufacturing tunability enhances basic photodetection performance and enables advanced functions through tunable temporal response dynamics, spectral response, and multiple operational modes. We conclude with challenges and future opportunities, aiming to inspire continued innovation by bridging diverse fields of photodetection through the lens of postmanufacturing tunability.
Li et al. (2025) studied this question.