Plasmonic Field-Effect Transistors (TeraFETs) for 6G Communications

Abstract

Ever increasing demands of data traffic makes the transition to 6G communications in the 300 GHz band inevitable. Short-channel field-effect transistors (FETs) have demonstrated excellent potential for detection and generation of terahertz (THz) and sub-THz radiation. Such transistors (often referred to as TeraFETs) include short-channel silicon complementary metal oxide (CMOS). The ballistic and quasi-ballistic electron transport in the TeraFET channels determine the TeraFET response at the sub-THz and THz frequencies. TeraFET arrays could form plasmonic crystals with nanoscale unit cells smaller or comparable to the electron mean free path but with the overall dimensions comparable with the radiation wavelength. Such plasmonic crystals have a potential of supporting the transition to 6G communications. The oscillations of the electron density (plasma waves) in the FET channels determine the phase relations between the unit cells of a FET plasmonic crystal. Excited by the impinging radiation and rectified by the device nonlinearities, the plasma waves could detect both the radiation intensity and the phase enabling the line-of-sight terahertz (THz) detection, spectrometry, amplification, and generation for 6G communication.

Potential of ultra-wideband gap semiconductors for sub-THz and THz applications

“…The Si-MOS integration with diamond sub-THz and THz emitters might meet stringent requirements for THz electronics enabling a potential transition to 6G wireless communications. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7] Integrated Si-CMOS-diamond TeraFETs could lead the transition from tabletop THz systems to THz integrated circuits and with commensurate orders of magnitude decrease in both size and cost.…”

“…Widespread applications of 5G Wi-Fi technology demonstrated enormous opportunities for extending bandwidth and wet appetite for 6G communications technology [1][2][3][4][5][6] This killer application of 6G communication in the 300 band [7] is synergistic with numerous other applications of sub-THz and THz technology, see Fig. 1 mapping different applications into the THz band.…”

“…THz frequency ranges for different applications. [8] * shurm@rpi.edu; Michael.shur@electronicsoffuture.com; phone 1 421 8820; https://www.ecse.rpi.edu/~shur/ Fig. 2 shows how the THz range corresponds to phonons, molecular and bond vibrations, and hydrogen bond excitations.…”

Development of Quaternary InAlGaN Barrier Layer for High Electron Mobility Transistor Structures

“…Moreover, barrier-layer scaling in InAlN/GaN HEMT structures down to 3 nm was demonstrated, exhibiting thermal stability (up to 1000 °C) of the barrier interface with a GaN buffer and with surface metals, used for electric contacts [ 19 ]. All of the reported features of the LM-InAl(Ga)N/GaN HEMT structures were found to be very attractive for high power GaN-based electronic [ 11 , 20 , 21 , 22 ] and plasmonic devices [ 23 , 24 ]. In particular, optimal conditions for the excitation of 2D plasmons in standard AlGaN/GaN HEMT structures up to the room temperature were revealed recently [ 25 ].…”

Performance Analysis of Time-Hopping Multiple Access Using Multi-Level PPM for Terahertz Nanocommunication

“…The communication distances could be increased up to a few meters, by identifying several transparency windows in the THz band, however, at the cost of achievable data rate [16], [17]. Nevertheless, 0.1 THz to 10 THz band is chosen to be the preferred frequency band of operation for the nanomachines [1], [18]- [20] due to several reasons, one being the graphene nanoantennas [21], [22] and plasmonic field-effect transistors (TeraFETs) [23] being established to operate in the THz band, which will result in the nanotranceivers design using graphene and its derivatives [24]- [26].…”