Room Temperature Direct and Heterodyne Detection of 0.28–0.69-THz Waves Based on GaN 2-DEG Unipolar Nanochannels

An experimental demonstration of GaN-based asymmetric nanodiodes as direct and heterodyne detectors up to 0.69 THz has been performed at room temperature. Responsivities of 2 and 0.3 V/W in a free-space configuration were obtained at 0.30 and 0.69 THz, respectively. An intermediate frequency (IF) signal has been measured up to 40 and 13 GHz in the same frequency ranges. The characterization of the nanodiodes as mixers did not show any deviation from linearity between the RF input power and the IF output. Monte Carlo simulations, used to estimate nanodevice intrinsic conversion losses of 27 dB at 0.69 THz, have confirmed these results.