Metamaterial-based photoelectric tunable-step THz detectors using the in-plane photoelectric effect

We report a THz detector that uses the in-plane photoelectric effect (IPPE) through the integration of a metamaterial with a dual-gated field-effect transistor (FET) array. In this study, we experimentally demonstrate coupling of the IPPE detection mechanism with a metamaterial antenna array, which results in substantial performance enhancement for THz detectors. We design, simulate, and optimise a brickwork array to efficiently confine incident radiation to the 2DEG layer, adapting these arrays to work as THz detectors. Under excitation with quantum cascade laser radiation at a frequency of 1.9 THz, our detector exhibits a photocurrent of 5.8 nA. This achievement surpasses the previously recorded maximum for single-antenna PETS detectors under identical experimental conditions, while simultaneously achieving significantly lower output impedance compared to any previously reported detector utilising the IPPE mechanism. This highly efficient metasurface-based detector with low output impedance holds the potential for developing high-throughput THz communication systems.