Terahertz detection within charge density wave state

TL;DR

This paper proposes that charge density wave materials can be used to develop ultrafast, room-temperature terahertz detectors with tunable resonant absorption frequencies and enhanced nonlinear responses.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of using CDW materials for THz detection, demonstrating their tunability and nonlinear enhancement under static electric bias.

Findings

Tunable THz resonant absorption frequency from 0 to cutoff frequency.

Enhanced nonlinear rectification current by over an order of magnitude.

Potential for room-temperature ultrafast THz detectors.

Abstract

Terahertz (THz) technology enables multi-Tbps satellite communications, but conventional semiconductor detectors suffer from fundamental performance degradation above 1 THz due to the Drude limit of free electrons. Here, we theoretically demonstrate that charge density wave (CDW) materials offer a paradigm-shifting solution via their collective electronic response. We show that a static bias electric field can continuously tune the THz resonant absorption frequency of CDW states from 0 to cutoff frequency, and enhance the nonlinear rectification current by more than one order of magnitude. This unprecedented electric-field tunability makes CDW materials ideal candidates for next-generation ultrafast THz detectors working at room-temperature.