We demonstrate that phase-difference between terahertz signals on the source and drain of a field effect transistor (a TeraFET) induces a plasmon-assisted dc current, which is dramatically enhanced in vicinity of plasmonic resonances. We describe a TeraFET operation with identical amplitudes of radiation on source and drain antennas but with a phase-shift-induced asymmetry. In this regime, the TeraFET operates as a tunable resonant polarization-sensitive plasmonic spectrometer operating in the sub-terahertz and terahertz range of frequencies. We also propose an effective scheme of a phase-sensitive homodyne detector operating in a phase-asymmetry mode, which allows for a dramatic enhancement of the response. These regimes can be implemented in different materials systems including silicon. The p-diamond TeraFETs could support operation in the 200 to 600 GHz atmospheric windows.
@article{arxiv.1901.02036,
title = {Terahertz Plasmonic Detector Controlled by Phase Asymmetry},
author = {I. V. Gorbenko and V. Yu. Kachorovskii and Michael Shur},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1901.02036},
year = {2019}
}