The potentialities of AlGaN/GaN nanochannels with broken symmetry (also called self-switching diodes) as direct and heterodyne THz detectors are analyzed. The operation of the devices in the free space heterodyne detection scheme have been measured at room temperature with RF up to 0.32 THz and explained as a result of high-frequency nonlinearities using Monte Carlo simulations. Intermediate-frequency bandwidth of 40 GHz is obtained.

We report on room temperature electrically-induced terahertz emission from interdigitated GaN quantum well structures. The emission spectrum has been analysed in a Michelson interferometer using a 4K-Si bolometer as a terahertz detector. A resonant peak at the frequency of around 3 THz was observed in emission spectra. A threshold behaviour of the resonance with respect to applied voltage takes place. By using the proposed analytical model the measured/observed experimentally resonant behaviour of emission spectra is interpreted as a result of ungated stream-plasma instability in the channel.

We report on measurements of radiation transmission in the 0.220-0.325 THz and 0.75-1.1 THz frequency ranges through GaN quantum wells grown on sapphire substrates at nitrogen and room temperatures. Significant enhancement of the transmitted beam intensity with applied voltage is found at nitrogen temperature. This effect is explained by changes in the mobility of two-dimensional electrons under electric bias. We have clarified which physical mechanism modifies the electron mobility and we suggest that the effect of voltage-controlled sub-terahertz transmission can be used for the development of electro-optic modulators operating in the sub-THz frequency rang

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