Tunable Antenna-Coupled Intersubband Terahertz (TACIT) Mixer: Frequency-agile THz Heterodyne Detector Based on Intersubband Transitions in Single GaAs/AlGaAs Quantum Wells

Changyun Yoo, Ken W. West, Loren N. Pfeiffer, Jonathan H. Kawamura, Mark S. Sherwin, Boris S. Karasik

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

The Tunable Antenna-Coupled Intersubband Terahertz (TACIT) mixer is a novel THz heterodyne detector based on intersubband transitions in single GaAs/AlGaAs quantum-well heterostructures. With the ability to operate at higher temperatures (up to 60 K) and wide in-situ frequency tunability (2-5 THz), TACIT mixers have potential for a low-noise (with TSSB ∼ 2,000K) operation with a low (1μW) required local-oscillator power. These properties offer both flexibility in detection frequency and multi-pixel array capability, making TACIT mixers an attractive THz heterodyne mixer technology for high-resolution spectroscopy in space applications. Here, we report on the recent development of 2.52 THz TACIT mixers fabricated from single, modulation-doped, 40-nm wide, rectangular GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells for 2.52 THz operation. Direct detection results at 20 K show that the detection frequency of a single TACIT device is widely tunable from 2.52 THz to 4.25 THz. We also present the heterodyne detection results at 2.52 THz at 10 K.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationIRMMW-THz 2023 - 48th Conference on Infrared, Millimeter, and Terahertz Waves
PublisherIEEE Computer Society
ISBN (Electronic)9798350336603
DOIs
StatePublished - 2023
Event48th International Conference on Infrared, Millimeter, and Terahertz Waves, IRMMW-THz 2023 - Montreal, Canada
Duration: Sep 17 2023Sep 22 2023

Publication series

NameInternational Conference on Infrared, Millimeter, and Terahertz Waves, IRMMW-THz
ISSN (Print)2162-2027
ISSN (Electronic)2162-2035

Conference

Conference48th International Conference on Infrared, Millimeter, and Terahertz Waves, IRMMW-THz 2023
Country/TerritoryCanada
CityMontreal
Period9/17/239/22/23

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Energy Engineering and Power Technology
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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