Room Temperature Tunable Plasmonic-Enhanced Graphene Terahertz Photodetectors

University Of Maryland, College Park, College Park MD

Investigators

Abstract

Objective: The proposed research seeks to develop a new type of graphene photodetector that operates at room temperature and exploits plasmonic resonances to achieve tunable spectral sensitivity throughout the terahertz spectral regime. Intellectual Merit: Graphene is a unique two-dimensional material that has the potential to transform the field of terahertz and infrared photonics. Favorable thermoelectric transport properties, including low specific heat and weak electron-phonon interaction allow for sensitive detection and ultrafast response time in graphene devices. While a single layer of graphene can yield a small, but measurable photoabsorption, structured graphene films can support collective plasmonic excitations that show a far greater photoabsorption, at a resonance frequency that can be electrically tuned through the application of a gate voltage. The device concept proposed here could lead to a transformative advances in terahertz photonics, by enabling tunable room-temperature sensitivity and noise performance that is orders of magnitude superior to existing detector technologies. Broader Impact: Practical room temperature terahertz photodetection could have far reaching impact in a number of key sectors ranging from pharmaceutical development to homeland security and medical imaging, and could spur the development of a robust terahertz technology. Furthermore, we propose a new outreach activity that would introduce young scientists from developing countries to new economical techniques for advanced signal recovery.