2D Material Sensors with Light Excitation

Abstract 2D materials are highly regarded for their exceptional sensing application prospects, stemming from their distinctive atomic layer structure and exceptionally sensitive surfaces. Over the past decade, numerous high‐performance 2D material sensors are extensively developed; however, challenges related to sensitivity, selectivity, and stability continue to impede their industrial advancement. The interaction between light and 2D materials has introduced unique properties, including absorption and emission characteristics, photoelectric effects, nonlinear optical effects, surface‐enhanced Raman scattering, and light response enhancement. Consequently, exciting and adjusting the electronic structure and carrier concentration of 2D materials through light with specific wavelength ranges is an effective strategy for enhancing sensing performance. This strategy has yielded remarkable breakthroughs in applications such as photodetectors, semiconductor gas sensors, and fiber optic sensors. Moreover, it demonstrates extraordinary potential in emerging applications such as image sensors, flexible electronics, and biomedical sensors. However, the sensing mechanism, device structure design, and specific applications of 2D materials under light excitation remain unclear. This perspective endeavors to elucidate the intrinsic photophysical mechanisms between light‐excited 2D materials and their target sensing analytes. Furthermore, it aims to explain the evolutionary pattern of sensing applications and provide novel insights and inspiration to advance this burgeoning field.