Carbon Nanotube Based Terahertz Detectors and Sources

客观的。 这项工作包括对未来太赫兹（THz，1012 Hz）纳米尺寸电路的发展至关重要的协同工作，采用金属单壁碳纳米管（SWCNT）¡V独特的一维纳米级材料：I）我们将增强我们已经证明的SWCNT作为太赫兹频率直接探测器的性能，并证明它们是新型外差探测器，可以构成太赫兹焦平面阵列（FPA）的敏感元件，只需要中等冷却 (? 100 K)； II) 开发紧凑型太赫兹源，其中加热的碳纳米管产生宽带太赫兹辐射； III) 将探测器和源集成到太赫兹集成电路中。我们将通过全面的瞬态量子模拟进一步加深对太赫兹碳纳米管器件的理解，这些模拟描述了各种碳纳米管配置中的等离激元共振、交流传输和接触耦合。独特的测量将测试电磁波如何在太赫兹频率下与碳纳米管中的电子相互作用和耦合的理论，包括缓慢传播的等离激元和由此类等离激元引起的共振，同时还获得小带隙的值。瞬态量子模拟将利用 Co-PI 开发的几种独特方法和新颖的特征值求解器（“FEAST”）。更广泛的影响。 研究结果将为社区提供对一维导体的基本特性及其在极高频率下的接触的广泛的新理解，同时让各个级别的学生都参与其中。这项工作可能会造福整个社会，特别是在实现非常紧凑的太赫兹癌症成像仪、用于安全应用的成像仪以及设计太赫兹集成电路的新范例方面。

OBJECTIVE. This effort includes synergistic work crucial to the development of future terahertz (THz, 1012 Hz) nano-size circuits, employing Metallic Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes (SWCNTs) ¡V unique 1D nanoscale materials: I) We will enhance the perfomance we have demonstrated for SWCNTs as direct detectors at THz frequencies and demonstrate these as novel heterodyne detectors that can constitute sensitive elements for THz focal plane arrays (FPAs) that require only moderate cooling (?î 100 K); II) Development of compact THz sources in which heated CNTs produce broadband THz radiation; III) Integration of the detectors and sources into THz integrated circuits. We will further deepen our understanding of CNT devices at THz through comprehensive time-dependent quantum simulations that characterize plasmonic resonances, AC transport and contact coupling in a variety of CNT configurations INTELLECTUAL MERIT. Unique measurements will test theories of how electromagnetic waves interact with and couple to electrons in CNTs at THz frequencies, including slowly propagating plasmons and resonances due to such plasmons, while also obtaining values for small bandgaps. The time-dependent quantum simulations will utilize several unique approaches and a novel eigenvalue solver (¡§FEAST¡¨) developed by the Co-PI. BROADER IMPACT. The results will provide the community a broad range of new understanding of the basic properties of 1-D conductors and their contacts at very high frequencies, while involving students at all levels. The work can potentially benefit society at large, especially in terms of enabling very compact THz cancer imagers, imagers for security applications, and a new paradigm for designing THz integrated circuits.