We report on Terahertz (THz) detectors based on III-V high-electron-mobility field-effect transistors (FET). The detection results from a rectification process that is still highly efficient far above frequencies where the transistor provides gain. Several detector layouts have been optimized for specific applications at room temperature: we show a broadband detector layout, where the rectifying FET is coupled to a broadband logarithmic-periodic antenna. Another layout is optimized for mixing of two orthogonal THz beams at 370 GHz or, alternatively, 570 GHz. A third version uses a large array of FETs with very low access resistance allowing for detection of very short high-power THz pulses. We reached a time resolution of 20 ps.
We previously reported resonant photovoltaic terahertz detection via bulk plasmons in GaAs field-effect-transistors
(FETs). Here, we introduce a device model which incorporates the microscopic dynamics of terahertz-field-driven
electrons in the FET channel, resonant excitation of three dimensional (bulk) plasmons, and self-mixing theory of
Lisauskas and Pfeiffer. The resulting model can simulate our experimental results and implies a bulk plasmon-assisted
terahertz self-mixing process occurs in the FET-based terahertz detectors. The model also suggests three factors are
important to improving the device performance power coupling efficiency, self-mixing efficiency, and resonance with
bulk plasmons.
Access to the requested content is limited to institutions that have purchased or subscribe to SPIE eBooks.
You are receiving this notice because your organization may not have SPIE eBooks access.*
*Shibboleth/Open Athens users─please
sign in
to access your institution's subscriptions.
To obtain this item, you may purchase the complete book in print or electronic format on
SPIE.org.
INSTITUTIONAL Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.
PERSONAL Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.