Resonant and voltage-tunable terahertz detection in InGaAs∕InP nanometer transistors

Abstract

The authors report on detection of terahertz radiation by high electron mobility nanometer InGaAs∕AlInAs transistors. The photovoltaic type of response was observed at the 1.8–3.1THz frequency range, which is far above the cutoff frequency of the transistors. The experiments were performed in the temperature range from 10to80K. The resonant response was observed and was found to be tunable by the gate voltage. The resonances were interpreted as plasma wave excitations in the gated two-dimensional electron gas. The minimum noise equivalent power was estimated, showing possible application of these transistors in sensing of terahertz radiation.

THz radiation sensors

“…Re− sults delivered up to now by FETs used as sub−mm detectors indicate that FETs can be used both for resonant (tuned to a curtain wavelength), and non−resonant (broadband) detection [160][161][162][163]. Resonance detection of terahertz radiation has been also observed in a FET with the double quantum well and a meshed gate [164].…”

Viscous hydrodynamic model of non-linear plasma oscillations in two-dimensional gated conduction channels and application to the detection of terahertz signals

“…In the Dyakonov-Shur detector, a short channel HEMT is used for the resonant tunable detection of terahertz radiation. The non-linear plasma response has been observed in InGaAs (3,4) and GaN (5-8) HEMTs, in the frequency range from 0.2 to 2.5 THz. The emission of radiation is also possible due to amplification of plasma oscillations upon reflection of plasma waves at the channel lateral boundaries, which has been shown to lead to plasma instability under certain boundary conditions (9).…”

“…The boundary conditions are U(0,t) = U 0 + U a cos(ωt) at the source side of the channel and zero current at the drain side, j(L,t) = 0. In the detector mode, the time-harmonic part is induced by the external radiation (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7). Here the analysis is restricted to a one-dimensional flow that is uniform in the transverse channel direction:…”

Field effect transistors for terahertz detection - silicon versus III–V material issue

“…1 First detection experiments showing a resonant detection, were performed using submicron GaAs/AlGaAs HEMTs [14][15][16][17]. Subsequently, high mobility InGaAs/ InAlAs tran− sistors were studied [18]. Figure 2(a) shows an example of a plasma related reso− nant detection at 1.8 THz, 2.5 THz, and 3.1 THz registered at 10 K for these transistors.…”