Anomalous visualization of sub-2 THz photons on standard silicon CCD and COMS sensors

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that standard silicon CCD and CMOS sensors can detect sub-2 THz photons through indirect electron transitions, enabling real-time, high-resolution THz imaging with nonlinear sensitivity.

Contribution

It introduces the novel use of standard silicon sensors for THz detection, expanding their application beyond optical wavelengths.

Findings

Detected 1-13 THz radiation with standard sensors

Visualized THz propagation at diffraction limit

Achieved broadband pulse detection at single shot

Abstract

We experimentally show that indirect light-induced electron transitions could lead to THz detection on standard CCD and CMOS sensors, introducing this well-established technological concept to the THz range. Unlike its optical counterpart, we found that the THz sensitivity is nonlinear. We imaged 1-13 THz radiation with photon energy less than 2% of the well-established band gap energy threshold. The unprecedented small pitch and large number of pixels uniquely allowed us to visualize the complex propagation of THz radiation, as it focuses down to the physical diffraction limit. Broadband pulses were detectable at a single shot. This opens a whole new field of real time THz imaging at the frame rate of the sensor.