Optimizing the linear range of FET-based THz detectors

THz-based technologies are promising enabling tools with a broad spectrum of applications, ranging from security and defense to telecommunications and non-destructive control [1]. About two decades ago, M. Dyakonov and M. Shur developped an elegant perturbative theory [2] and successfully predicted the detection of electromagnetic THz radiation based on a gated-Field-Effect Transistor (FET) [3], [4]. Designing detectors relies on providing several properties, such as sensitivity, high signal-to-noise ratio, speed and a wide range of linearity (from low to high incoming intensities). Using rigorous numerical schemes, one goes beyond the perturbation theory to explore the linear range of such detectors constrained to optimal detection properties. Based on those results, novel design-rules of FET-based detectors will be provided.