Terahertz Detectors Based on Carbon Nanomaterials

Abstract

Various applications of terahertz (THz) radiation and the importance to fundamental science make the development of THz technology one of the key areas in modern applied physics. THz detectors are a key component of THz technology, whose performance determines the application market. One feasible approach to fabricate high performance THz detectors is to utilize carbon nanomaterials, particularly, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and graphene. Their novel thermal, optical, and electronic properties make them promising in the field of THz technology. In this review, based on a brief introduction of the unique properties of graphene and CNTs, the fundamental principles of thermal, electronic, and photonic effects in carbon‐based THz detection are thoroughly discussed, together with the detailed summary of major progresses in the past decades. Finally, the challenges and opportunity of such THz detectors are presented from three aspects of precise preparation of carbon nanomaterials, mechanism of THz detectors and device technology.

A broadband 3D microtubular photodetector based on a single wall carbon nanotube–graphene heterojunction

“…47–51 More notably, the one-dimensional (1D) structure of SWCNTs strongly enhances the exciton effect, resulting in significant exciton binding energy that dominates the THz optical absorption. 52 Hence, it is believed that the light detective range could also be extended to the THz band. 53…”

Excitonic Insulator Enabled Ultrasensitive Terahertz Photodetection with Efficient Low‐Energy Photon Harvesting

“…THz wave is located in the cross transition region of microwave electronics and infrared photonics, which promises it a wide range of applications, including security check, biomedical, wireless communication, and remote sensing. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ] Current THz detectors based on different device structures and detection mechanisms of pyroelectric/Golay cells, [ 8 ] Schottky diode detectors, [ 9 ] quantum well detectors, [ 10 ] bolometers, [ 11 ] and field‐effect transistors detectors [ 12 ] suffer from some drawbacks, such as low sensitivity, complex material and device fabrication process, or low‐temperature dependence. [ 13 , 14 , 15 ] The main challenge and technical bottleneck of THz photodetection is the large mismatch between the nanoscale active region and the extremely long wavelength of the incident THz wave, resulting in low photoelectric conversion efficiency.…”

Terahertz Detectors for 6G Technology Using Quantum Dot 3D Concave Convergence Microwheel Arrays

“…6G communication frequencies worked at 0.12, 0.22, 0.28, and 0.42 THz are attracting more attention. However, high-performance detectors in large areas at room temperature are still an enormous challenge. − According to the effective detection area of detectors, the existing THz detectors can be recognized as the micro–nano detectors and the millimeter-scale detectors. The micro and nano detectors are mainly graphene-based nonlinear hall effect (NHE) detector, Bi 2 Se 3 -based electromagnetic induced well (EIW) detector, AlGaN/GaN and PtTe 2 field-effect transistor (FET) detector, PdTe 2 -based photogalvanic effects (PCE) detector, black phosphorus (BP)-based photo-thermoelectric effect (PTE) detector, and Bi 88 Sb 12 -based thermoelectric detector .…”