Dresden 2026 – scientific programme

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DS: Fachverband Dünne Schichten

DS 20: Poster

DS 20.10: Poster

Thursday, March 12, 2026, 18:30–20:30, P2

Thermoelectric-based position-sensitive detector — Jun Peng, Lucas Rave, Pai Zhao, Rakshith Venugopal, Kristian Deneke, Stefanie Haugg, Robert H. Blick, and •Robert Zierold — Center for Hybrid Nanostructures, University of Hamburg, Germany

Precise positioning is a never-ending goal in both fundamental science and technology. Conventional position-sensitive detectors (PSDs), which rely on lateral photoelectric effects in semiconductor junctions, are inherently restricted in operating temperature and are often unsuitable for detection beyond the optical regime. Here, we present a new detector architecture, the thermoelectric-based position-sensitive detector (T-PSD), that extracts spatial information solely from heat conduction and thermoelectric conversion. Specifically, the device incorporates an ALD-deposited Al-doped ZnO (AZO) thermoelectric thin film on an isotropic substrate, where Seebeck voltages measured across multiple electrodes encode the position of an incident heat spot. It can detect single heat spots arising from various energy sources, including electromagnetic radiation, electrons, and macroscopic mechanical heat. The thin-film design enables sub-micrometer spatial resolution in 1D configurations, while a two-ratio voltage decoding scheme provides robust and intensity-independent localization in 2D devices. Furthermore, the T-PSD exhibits broad temperature compatibility and is particularly well suited for high-energy beams, which remain challenging to localize with existing PSD technologies.

Keywords: Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD); Position-Sensitive Detector; Thermoeletric; Thin Film