High sensitive Terahertz detection can be achieved by properly constructing Metal-Semiconductor-Metal (MSM) structure with semiconductor materials. In this study, Mercury-Cadmium-Telluride (MCT) film was used to fabricate MSM Terahertz detectors. The working temperature was altered to study the IV characteristics of MCT detectors under RT and 77 K, as well as the response signals to 0.0375 THz and 150 GHz sources. The results showed that the response speed was greatly improved under low temperature condition, and the time constant decreased to smaller than 3 μs at 77 K, comparing to some hundred μs at room temperature (RT). However, due to the variation in IV characteristics under low temperature, the working current of the detector was much lower than that at RT for identical voltage bias, and the low frequency response was 6 times larger than that at RT under the same bias current. The MCT detector is shown to be highly sensitive for THz detection and its detection ability can be further improved by lowering down the working temperature.

Date Published: 25 October 2016
PDF: 10 pages
Proc. SPIE 9686, 8th International Symposium on Advanced Optical Manufacturing and Testing Technologies: Optoelectronic Materials and Devices, 96860V (25 October 2016); doi: 10.1117/12.2243875

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9686:
8th International Symposium on Advanced Optical Manufacturing and Testing Technologies: Optoelectronic Materials and Devices
Yadong Jiang; Bernard Kippelen; Junsheng Yu, Editor(s)