We demonstrate that a proper antenna and transistor design can provide high responsivity for Terahertz radiation and imaging capability even above the 1 THz limit with a low-cost 130 nm CMOS technology. This result opens the way to CMOS THz imagers working at high frequencies and therefore exhibiting high a spatial resolution - down to similar to 300 mu m.

GaAs field effect-transistors are used for single-pixel imaging using frequencies above 1 THz at 300 K. Images obtained in transmission mode at 1.63 THz are recorded with spatial resolution of 300 mu m. We demonstrate that, with applied drain to source current, the imaging at up to 2.5 THz is possible.

Resonant frequencies of the two-dimensional plasma in FETs reach the THz range for nanometer transistor channels. Non-linear properties of the electron plasma are responsible for detection of THz radiation with FETs. Resonant excitation of plasma waves with sub-THz and THz radiation was demonstrated for short gate transistors at cryogenic temperatures. At room temperature, plasma oscillations are usually over-damped, but the FETs can still operate as efficient broadband THz detectors. The paper presents the main theoretical and experimental results on detection with FETs stressing their possible THz imaging applications. We discuss advantages and disadvantages of application of III-V GaAs and GaN HEMTs and silicon MOSFETs.

Room temperature photovoltaic non-resonant detection by large area double-grating-gate InGaP/InGaAs/GaAs heterostructures was investigated in sub-THz range (0.24 THz). Semi-quantitative estimation of the characteristic detection length combined with self-consistent calculations of the electric fields excited in the structure by incoming terahertz radiation allowed us to interpret quantitatively the results and conclude that this detection takes place mainly in the regions of strong oscillating electric field excited in depleted portions of the channel.

Terahertz (THz) detection by plasma wave mechanism in InGaAs field effect transistors is studied in high/quantizing magnetic fields regime. The correlation between the photovoltaic response and magnetoresistance is revealed. It allows explaining the dominant physical mechanism responsible for strong oscillations observed in the transistor THz photoresponse. The results indicate also a serious discrepancy between experimental data and existing theoretical model. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics.

GaAs nanometric field effect-transistors are used for room temperature single-pixel imaging using radiation frequencies above 1 THz. Images obtained in transmission mode at 1.63 THz are recorded using transistors operating in a photovoltaic mode with spatial resolution of 300 mu m and voltage sensitivity of about 8 mV/W. A reduction in response with increasing frequency was observed and mitigated by the application of a source-drain current, leading to the demonstration of imaging at up to 2.54 THz.

Experiments on terahertz radiation detection with InGaAs/InAlAs field-effect transistor in quantizing magnetic field are reported. We observed oscillations of the photovoltaic signal analogous to Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations, as well as their strong enhancement at the cyclotron resonance conditions. The results are described quantitatively within the frame of a theory which takes into account a new source of nonlinearity related to the Landau quantization of the conduction band. (C) 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim