Nanowerk November 5, 2022
The currently available THz detectors are limited in many aspects of their performance, including sensitivity, speed, bandwidth, and operating temperature. Most do not allow the characterization of THz polarization states. The recent observation of THz-driven luminescence in quantum dots offers a possible detection mechanism via field-driven interdot charge transfer. An international team of researchers (USA – MIT, University of Minnesota, , Stanford University, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, South Korea) has demonstrated a room-temperature CMOS THz camera and polarimeter based on quantum-dot-enhanced THz-to-visible upconversion mechanism with optimized luminophore geometries and fabrication designs. Besides broadband and fast responses, the nanoslit-based sensor could detect THz pulses with peak fields as low as 10 kV cm–1. A related coaxial nanoaperture-type device showed a to-date-unexplored capability to simultaneously record the THz polarization state and field strength with similar sensitivity…read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLEÂ
Experimental scheme of polarization-sensitive THz imaging. Credit: Nature Nanotechnology (2022)Â