A Self-Powered Organic Vision Sensor Array for Photopic Adaptation

With the rapid development of artificial intelligence, it is essential to develop a bionic vision sensor that boasts low power consumption, self-adaptability, and broadband sensing for efficient image preprocessing. We employed an organic p-type semiconductor, poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT), in conjunction with an Al electrode to engineer a Schottky junction. This design leverages the photogating effect due to the charge trapping by defects at the P3HT/Al interface, endowing this self-powered, two-terminal device with photopic adaptability. The 1.9 eV bandgap of P3HT enables substantial light absorption within the visible spectrum, yielding a significant photocurrent. By assembling 50 photoelectric sensors into a 10 × 5 array, we successfully demonstrated an image formation process that emulates photopic adaptation, specifically in recognizing letters. This easily fabricated, self-powered retinomorphic photoelectric device has great potential to mimic retinal structures, thereby heralding a new frontier in visual sensory devices.