Monolithically Integrated THz Detectors Based on High-Electron-Mobility Transistors

Rämer, Adam; Negri, Edoardo; Dischke, Eugen; Chevtchenko, Serguei; Yazdani, Hossein; Schellhase, Lars; Krozer, Viktor; Heinrich, Wolfgang

doi:10.3390/s25113539

Open AccessArticle

Monolithically Integrated THz Detectors Based on High-Electron-Mobility Transistors

by

Adam Rämer

^1,*

,

Edoardo Negri

^2,3

,

Eugen Dischke

¹,

Serguei Chevtchenko

¹,

Hossein Yazdani

¹,

Lars Schellhase

¹,

Viktor Krozer

¹

and

Wolfgang Heinrich

¹

Ferdinand-Braun-Institut (FBH), 12489 Berlin, Germany

²

Department of Information Engineering, Electronics and Telecommunications, Sapienza University of Rome, 00184 Rome, Italy

³

Istituto per la Microelettronica e i Microsistemi, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, 00133 Rome, Italy

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Sensors 2025, 25(11), 3539; https://doi.org/10.3390/s25113539

Submission received: 5 November 2024 / Revised: 23 May 2025 / Accepted: 28 May 2025 / Published: 4 June 2025

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Topical Advisory Panel Members' Collection Series: "Terahertz Sensors")

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Abstract

We present THz direct detectors based on an AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT), featuring excellent optical sensitivity and low noise-equivalent power (NEP). These detectors are monolithically integrated with various antenna designs and exhibit state-of-the-art performance at room temperature. Their architecture enables straightforward scaling to two-dimensional formats, paving the way for terahertz focal plane arrays (FPAs). In particular, for one detector type, a fully realized THz FPA has been demonstrated in this paper. Theoretical and experimental characterizations are provided for both single-pixel detectors (0.1–1.5 THz) and the FPA (0.1–1.1 THz). The broadband single detectors achieve optical sensitivities exceeding 20 mA/W up to 1 THz and NEP values below 100 pW/

\sqrt{Hz}

. The best optical NEP is below 10 pW/

\sqrt{Hz}

at 175 GHz. The reported sensitivity and NEP values were achieved including antenna and optical coupling losses, underlining the excellent overall performance of the detectors.

Keywords: room-temperature THz direct detectors; THz HEMT antenna integration; resistive mixing; on-chip antenna; TeraFET

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MDPI and ACS Style

Rämer, A.; Negri, E.; Dischke, E.; Chevtchenko, S.; Yazdani, H.; Schellhase, L.; Krozer, V.; Heinrich, W. Monolithically Integrated THz Detectors Based on High-Electron-Mobility Transistors. Sensors 2025, 25, 3539. https://doi.org/10.3390/s25113539

AMA Style

Rämer A, Negri E, Dischke E, Chevtchenko S, Yazdani H, Schellhase L, Krozer V, Heinrich W. Monolithically Integrated THz Detectors Based on High-Electron-Mobility Transistors. Sensors. 2025; 25(11):3539. https://doi.org/10.3390/s25113539

Chicago/Turabian Style

Rämer, Adam, Edoardo Negri, Eugen Dischke, Serguei Chevtchenko, Hossein Yazdani, Lars Schellhase, Viktor Krozer, and Wolfgang Heinrich. 2025. "Monolithically Integrated THz Detectors Based on High-Electron-Mobility Transistors" Sensors 25, no. 11: 3539. https://doi.org/10.3390/s25113539

APA Style

Rämer, A., Negri, E., Dischke, E., Chevtchenko, S., Yazdani, H., Schellhase, L., Krozer, V., & Heinrich, W. (2025). Monolithically Integrated THz Detectors Based on High-Electron-Mobility Transistors. Sensors, 25(11), 3539. https://doi.org/10.3390/s25113539

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Monolithically Integrated THz Detectors Based on High-Electron-Mobility Transistors

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