EAGER: Novel Highly Sensitive Detectors using Nanostructure Arrays for Advanced Electronics Systems

该项目将探索用于先进太赫兹电子系统的新型高灵敏度探测器的可行性，该探测器使用具有纳米特征尺寸的2D和3D光栅，并使用深亚微米硅技术实现。将首次实现具有对称源和两个对称门指的等离子体波探测器阵列元件的新配置，并采用多尺度方法确保阵列中每个元件的等离子体共振和整个阵列内的电磁共振。如果成功，这项可行性研究将开发和验证太赫兹辐射与固态系统中二维电子气体或流体的亚波长耦合的新途径，并将使新一代太赫兹电子系统对美国机场安全系统和生物医学应用产生革命性影响。首席研究员将制造和表征FINFET探测器原型，并开发软件工具，用于设计和优化使用这种探测器的电子系统，以证明这种新方法的可行性。该项目将探索新的纳米级FIN FET元件的可行性，以形成具有最佳边界条件的太赫兹探测单元，这是以前从未实现过的。这将通过在这四个终端检测器单元中使用相反的电流来完成。该项目将包括研究太赫兹与这些元件的相互作用和耦合，研究它们的灵敏度、噪声、温度依赖性和噪声等效功率。这将通过三维电磁模拟和纳米级太赫兹成像来完成。硅FIN FET元件将组合成纳米结构阵列，以捕获整个太赫兹光束，以证明硅基等离子体太赫兹技术的可行性。提出的项目的智力价值将证明多尺度非线性有源纳米结构阵列的可行性，该阵列具有新的，以前未探索过的类型，用于解决在飞秒时间间隔和纳米和原子尺度上太赫兹辐射与固体和生物物质相互作用的基本科学问题。该项目更广泛的影响将是获得对主动非线性多尺度纳米结构的新基础物理的理解，从而以现有系统的一小部分成本开发具有数量级更好性能的太赫兹电子产品；在医药、国土安全、工业控制、太空探索和国防等领域，培育价值数十亿美元的新太赫兹电子产业；在美国创造成千上万的高科技工作岗位，通过与太赫兹相关的新课程培训下一代科学家和工程师，并在从幼儿园到12年级再到研究生教育的各个层面进行推广。首席研究员将参与REU的本科生，并将在当地高中进行讲座和示范。

The project will explore the feasibility of novel highly sensitive detectors for advanced THz electronic systems using 2D and 3D gratings with nanometer feature sizes and implemented using deep submicron silicon technology. For the first time, a new configuration of plasma wave detector array elements with symmetrical sources and two symmetrical gate fingers will be implemented and a multi scale approach ensuring a plasmonic resonance with each element of the array and an electromagnetic resonance within the entire array will be used. If successful, this feasibility study will develop and validate a new pathway for the subwavelength coupling of THz radiation with the two dimensional electron gas or fluid in solid-state systems and will enable a new generation of THz electronics systems with revolutionary impact on the US airport security systems and biomedical applications.Principal Investigator will fabricate and characterize the FINFET detector prototypes and develop software tools for design and optimization of electronics systems using such detectors to prove the feasibility of this new approach. The project will explore the feasibility of new nanoscale FIN FET elements to form the THz detection units with optimum boundary conditions that have never been achieved before. These will be done by using opposing current flows in these four terminal detector units. The project will include investigation of the THz interaction with and coupling to these elements, study their sensitivity, noise, temperature dependencies, and Noise Equivalent Power. This will be done using three dimensional electromagnetic simulation and nanoscale THz imaging. The silicon FIN FET elements will be combined into nanostructured arrays to capture the entire THz beam to prove the feasibility of silicon based plasmonic THz technology.The intellectual merit of the proposed project will be in proving feasibility of multi scale nonlinear active nanostructure arrays with elements of new, previously unexplored type for solving fundamental scientific problems of THz radiation interaction with solid and biological matter at femtosecond time intervals and nanometer and atomic scales.The broader impact of the project will be in gaining understanding new fundamental physics of active nonlinear multi scale nanostructures enabling the development of THz electronics with orders of magnitude better performance at a fraction of the cost of existing systems; in seeding the development of new multibillion dollar THz electronics industry with applications in medicine, home land security, industrial controls, space exploration, and defense; in creating hundreds of thousands of new high-tech American jobs and in training the next generation of scientists and engineers through THz related new curriculum and outreach at all levels - from K to 12 to post graduate education. Principal Investigator will engage the REU undergraduate students and will give lectures and demonstrations in local high schools.