Hybrid Plasmonic Materials and Architectures for Advanced Optoelectronic Systems

Recent developments in optoelectronics have led to the incorporation of metallic nanostructures into semiconductors and other active materials for tailoring optical confinement, carrier generation, energy transfer, and light emission. This review discusses the physical basis of these effects and their use in photovoltaic devices, light-emitting diodes, photodetectors, sensors, and flexible platforms. The mechanisms considered include localized surface plasmon resonance, near-field enhancement, light scattering, hot carrier injection, and plasmon–exciton coupling. The relative contributions of these processes often coexist within the same hybrid structure, being dependent on nanoparticle size and shape, the local dielectric environment, spectral overlap, interface properties, and device architecture. Particular attention is given to the difficulty of identifying the dominant enhancement pathways, emphasizing that similar improvements in device performance may originate from different physical mechanisms. Advances in hybrid perovskites, MXenes, metal–organic frameworks, polymeric composites, and other emerging material platforms further highlight the central role of interfacial engineering in controlling plasmonic functionality. Overall, this review highlights that understanding the interplay between plasmonic mechanisms, hybrid material design, and interfacial engineering is essential for the rational design and practical implementation of next-generation hybrid optoelectronic technologies.