The Route to Nanoscale Terahertz Technology: Nanowire-based Terahertz Detectors and Terahertz Modulators

In this work, we demonstrate novel THz detectors and modulators based on semiconductor nanowires. We show that single nanowire PC THz receivers exhibit excellent sensitivity, high SNR of 40, and a broad detection bandwidth up to 2 THz, comparable to the bulk InP PC receivers. We also demonstrate ultrafast THz modulation by GaAs nanowire polarisers with a less than 5ps switching time and a modulation depth of -8dB, We show an extinction of over 13% and dynamic range of -9dB, comparable to microsecond-switchable graphene- and metamaterial-based THz modulators.