Enhanced THz Detection Through Phase-Controlled Current Response in Field-Effect Transistors

Abstract

A field effect transistor can be used as a nonlinear element for the resonant detection of incident terahertz (THz) radiation at room temperature. The excitation of the plasma modes in the channel significantly increases the detection efficiency in the THz range. By means of a numerical hydrodynamic model, we study the drain-current response of a high electron mobility transistor to a THz signal applied on its gate and/or on its drain contacts to obtain the optimal configuration in terms of detection. We demonstrate that the amplitudes of the harmonic and average drain-current responses associated with the presence of plasma modes in the channel strongly depend on which transistor terminal collects the incident THz radiation and that a maximum dcresponse can be obtained by appropriately dephasing the two electrode signals.Index Terms-Field effect transistor (FET), III-V semiconductor materials, millimeter wave transistors, plasma waves, semiconductor device modeling, submillimeter wave devices.

Simulation of plasma oscillation response to THz radiation applied upon high electron mobility transistors

“…We sim-978-1-4799-5433-9/14/$31.00 c 2014 IEEE ulate an InGaAs HEMT identical to that reported in Ref. [7], [8]. We remark that the domain of 2D plasma resonances (that is from 3 THz to 10 THz) of the current response (Fig.…”

Terahertz detection and electronic noise in field-effect transistors

“…The parameters of the In 0.53 Ga 0.47 As HEMT n + -n-n + structure consisting of L + -L ungated -L gated -L ungated -L + 50-50-100-50-50 nm with donor concentrations in n and n + regions of 5 × 10 18 cm −3 and 1 × 10 18 cm −3 , mainly correspond to those of Ref. [6]: the channel thickness is δ = 10 nm, the gateto-channel distance d = 15 nm. The velocity relaxation rate ν = 3 × 10 12 s −1 and the variance of velocity fluctuations δv 2 = 3.34 × 10 10 m 2 s −2 are calculated by Monte Carlo simulation of low-field transport in bulk In 0.53 Ga 0.47 As at 300 K [7].…”

“…The coupling between the incident radiation and the transistors is supposed to take place essentially through the metallic contacts even in the absence of an antenna connected to these electrodes. From a theoretical point of view, the action of the incident THz radiation can be investigated by simulating the draincurrent response to a THz signal applied on its gate and/or on its drain contacts [2], [5], [6]. The advantage of such a detection lies in its resonant character when the external signal frequency coincides with one of the eigenfrequencies of 2D or 3D plasma oscillations.…”

“…The advantage of such a detection lies in its resonant character when the external signal frequency coincides with one of the eigenfrequencies of 2D or 3D plasma oscillations. Figure 4 shows both the harmonic and the average current responses [6] at room temperature as functions of the THz excitation frequency, for a signal applied on the drain contact, on the gate and on the source contact. The drain-source and the gate-source biases are V DS = 0 and V GS = 0 respectively.…”

“…4 exhibits resonance peaks that can be identified as plasma resonances: the first two peaks at f 1 = 2.5 THz and f 2 = 6 THz correspond to 2D plasma resonance observed on the frequency response and the highest frequency peak at f 3D = 20 THz correspond to the 3D plasma resonance resulting from the addition of the highest-order modes (see Ref. [6] for more details).…”