Planar Asymmetric Semiconductor Nanodiodes for THz Detection

Self-switching diodes (SSD), semiconductor nanodevices exhibiting a non-linear I-V curve, fabricated on a variety of material systems, are investigated here as terahertz detectors. Their working principle is based on the asymmetry of a conductive nano-channel defined by the etching two L-shaped insulating trenches, leading to a non-linear I-V relation that enables zero bias AC detection up to terahertz frequencies.