Millimeter-wave photoresponse due to excitation of two-dimensional plasmons in InGaAs/InP high-electron-mobility transistors

Abstract

A polarized photoresponse to mm-wave radiation over the frequency range of 40 to 108 GHz is demonstrated in a grating-gated high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) formed by an InGaAs/InP heterostructure. The photoresponse is observed within the plasmon resonance absorption band of the HEMT, whose gate consists of a 9 μm period grating that couples incident radiation to plasmons in the 2D electron gas. Gate-bias changes the channel carrier concentration, causing a corresponding change in photoresponse in agreement with theoretical expectations for the shift in the plasmon resonance band. The noise equivalent power is estimated to be 235 pW/Hz1/2.