Ultrafast photodetectors at Terahertz frequencies based on 2D materials: technological developments and applications in optical communications

Bi-dimensional nano-materials and related heterostructures are establishing themselves as intriguing material systems for the development of electronic, photonic and plasmonic quantum devices with properties that can be engineered "from scratch". Their peculiar band-structure and electron transport characteristics, which can be easily manipulated via layer thickness control, indeed suggest they could also form the basis for a new generation of high-performance devices operating in the Terahertz frequency range ($1-10 \mathrm{THz}$) of the electromagnetic spectrum. This talk will review our latest achievements in the developments of high speed photodetectors at THz frequencies ($2-5 \mathrm{THz}$), and will discuss concrete perspectives for applications in optical communications.