Terahertz Plasmonic Technology

Michael S Shur

doi:10.1109/jsen.2020.3022809

Abstract

The terahertz (THz) technology has found applications ranging from astronomical science and earth observation to compact radars, non-destructive testing, chemical analysis, explosive detection, moisture content determination, coating thickness control, film uniformity determination, structural integrity testing wireless covert communications, medical applications (including skin cancer detection), imaging, and concealed weapons detection. Beyond 5G Wi-Fi and Internet of Things (IoT) are the expected killer applications of the THz technology. Plasmonic TeraFETs such as Si CMOS with feature sizes down to 3 nm could enable a dramatic expansion of all these applications. At the FET channel sizes below 100 nm, the physics of the electron transport changes from the collision dominated to the ballistic or quasi-ballistic transport. In the ballistic regime, the electron inertia and the waves of the electron density (plasma waves) determine the high frequency response that extends into the THz range of frequencies. The rectification and instabilities of the plasma waves support a new generation of THz and sub-THz plasmonic devices. The plasmonic electronics technology has a potential become a dominant THz electronics sensing technology when the plasmonic THz sources join the compact, efficient, and fast plasmonic TeraFET THz detectors already demonstrated and being commercialized.

Highlights

THE terahertz (THz) frequency range lies between the frequency ranges of the electronic and photonic devices
First applications of the THz technology were in astronomical science [1, 2] and earth observation. [3, 4] In addition to radio astronomy and earth remote sensing, numerous applications of the THz technology include vehicle radars [5] and compact radars [6, 7], nondestructive testing [8, 9], sensing [10,11,12], chemical analysis [13], explosive detection [14], moisture content determination, coating thickness control [15], film uniformity determination [16], structural integrity testing, wireless and wireless covert communications [17,18,19,20,21,22], biotechnology [23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30], semiconductor characterization, [31], medical applications [32, 33], imaging [36, 37], quantum measurements [38, 39], semiconductor wafer characterization, [40, 41], VLSI testing [42 -48] concealed weapons detection [49], and food safety control. [50, 51] The expected killer applications are in beyond 5GWi-Fi [52, 53]
The overall THz market has remained modest but is expected to grow from approximately $220 million in 2020 to $1.3 billion in 2027 [148]. This growth rate might increase dramatically because of the emerging THz plasmonic technology enabling fast, inexpensive THz detectors, mixers, frequency multipliers, and sources, Focused plane Arrays (FPAs), and THz cameras. [59, 60]. This technology is compatible with modern Si VLSI technology and could take advantages of well-developed Si VLSI readout technology used for infrared FPAs and infrared cameras

Summary

INTRODUCTION

THE terahertz (THz) frequency range (often referred to as the THz gap) lies between the frequency ranges of the electronic and photonic devices. The overall THz market has remained modest but is expected to grow from approximately $220 million in 2020 to $1.3 billion in 2027 [148] This growth rate might increase dramatically because of the emerging THz plasmonic technology enabling fast, inexpensive THz detectors, mixers, frequency multipliers, and sources, Focused plane Arrays (FPAs), and THz cameras. COBE, MIRO, ODIN, AKARI, AURA, HERSHEL, IRAS, PLANK, SMILES are examples of THz instruments or missions in space. [62] Fig. 3 shows the image of a comet (called the Iras-Araki-Alcock Comet) was discovered by Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) in its 560-mile-high, near-polar orbit above the Earth

APPLICATIONS

PHYSICS OF TERAFETS

THZ PLASMONIC DEVICES

PLASMONIC CRYSTALS AS POTENTIAL THZ RADIATION

CONCLUSIONS