Efficient photoconductive terahertz detection through photon trapping in plasmonic nanocavities
We present a photoconductive terahertz detector that employs a plasmonic nanocavity to offer high-sensitivity and broadband operation when used in a terahertz time-domain spectroscopy system even at very low optical pump power levels. By employing a plasmonic nanocavity, all of the photocarriers are...
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2021-08-01
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Series: | APL Photonics |
Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/5.0055332 |
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doaj-bedfbf03199042d7986ee972e233cd452021-09-03T11:18:15ZengAIP Publishing LLCAPL Photonics2378-09672021-08-0168080802080802-910.1063/5.0055332Efficient photoconductive terahertz detection through photon trapping in plasmonic nanocavitiesN. T. Yardimci0D. Turan1M. Jarrahi2Lookin, Inc., Los Angeles, California 90066, USAElectrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, USAElectrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, USAWe present a photoconductive terahertz detector that employs a plasmonic nanocavity to offer high-sensitivity and broadband operation when used in a terahertz time-domain spectroscopy system even at very low optical pump power levels. By employing a plasmonic nanocavity, all of the photocarriers are generated within a 100 nm distance from the photoconductor contact electrodes, enabling a short transport time for almost all of the photogenerated carriers. As a result, the photoconductive detector maintains high quantum efficiency and ultrafast operation simultaneously, enabling high-sensitivity and broadband operation at very low optical pump power levels. We utilize a photoconductive detector based on a plasmonic nanocavity optimized for operation at a 770 nm optical wavelength in a terahertz time-domain spectroscopy system and demonstrate a 100 dB signal-to-noise ratio and a 0.1–6 THz noise-equivalent bandwidth at a record-low average optical pump power of 0.1 mW, compared to the state-of-the-art photoconductive terahertz detectors. The extremely low optical power budget of the demonstrated photoconductive detector makes this detector attractive for multi-pixel terahertz imaging systems.http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/5.0055332 |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
N. T. Yardimci D. Turan M. Jarrahi |
spellingShingle |
N. T. Yardimci D. Turan M. Jarrahi Efficient photoconductive terahertz detection through photon trapping in plasmonic nanocavities APL Photonics |
author_facet |
N. T. Yardimci D. Turan M. Jarrahi |
author_sort |
N. T. Yardimci |
title |
Efficient photoconductive terahertz detection through photon trapping in plasmonic nanocavities |
title_short |
Efficient photoconductive terahertz detection through photon trapping in plasmonic nanocavities |
title_full |
Efficient photoconductive terahertz detection through photon trapping in plasmonic nanocavities |
title_fullStr |
Efficient photoconductive terahertz detection through photon trapping in plasmonic nanocavities |
title_full_unstemmed |
Efficient photoconductive terahertz detection through photon trapping in plasmonic nanocavities |
title_sort |
efficient photoconductive terahertz detection through photon trapping in plasmonic nanocavities |
publisher |
AIP Publishing LLC |
series |
APL Photonics |
issn |
2378-0967 |
publishDate |
2021-08-01 |
description |
We present a photoconductive terahertz detector that employs a plasmonic nanocavity to offer high-sensitivity and broadband operation when used in a terahertz time-domain spectroscopy system even at very low optical pump power levels. By employing a plasmonic nanocavity, all of the photocarriers are generated within a 100 nm distance from the photoconductor contact electrodes, enabling a short transport time for almost all of the photogenerated carriers. As a result, the photoconductive detector maintains high quantum efficiency and ultrafast operation simultaneously, enabling high-sensitivity and broadband operation at very low optical pump power levels. We utilize a photoconductive detector based on a plasmonic nanocavity optimized for operation at a 770 nm optical wavelength in a terahertz time-domain spectroscopy system and demonstrate a 100 dB signal-to-noise ratio and a 0.1–6 THz noise-equivalent bandwidth at a record-low average optical pump power of 0.1 mW, compared to the state-of-the-art photoconductive terahertz detectors. The extremely low optical power budget of the demonstrated photoconductive detector makes this detector attractive for multi-pixel terahertz imaging systems. |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/5.0055332 |
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