High-frequency enhanced response based on Sb₂Te₃ topological insulators

Abstract

Topological insulators represent a new quantum phase of matter with spin-polarized surface states that are protected from backscattering, exhibiting electronic responses to light, such as topological quantum phase transitions. However, the effects of high-frequency driving topological intrinsic systems have remained largely unexplored challenges experimentally for high-sensitivity terahertz detection. In this study, by integrating <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline" id="m1"> <mml:mrow> <mml:msub> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi>Sb</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> <mml:mn>2</mml:mn> </mml:msub> <mml:msub> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi>Te</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> <mml:mn>3</mml:mn> </mml:msub> </mml:mrow> </mml:math> topological insulators with subwavelength metal antennas through micro-nano processing, a high-frequency terahertz detector with high sensitivity is proposed. The enhanced response originates from the asymmetric scattering of the surface electrons in the <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline" id="m2"> <mml:mrow> <mml:msub> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi>Sb</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> <mml:mn>2</mml:mn> </mml:msub> <mml:msub> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi>Te</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> <mml:mn>3</mml:mn> </mml:msub> </mml:mrow> </mml:math> flakes induced by the terahertz wave. The device displays room-temperature photodetection with a responsivity of 192 mA/W and equivalent noise power of less than <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline" id="m3"> <mml:mrow> <mml:mn>0.35</mml:mn> <mml:mtext> </mml:mtext> <mml:msup> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi>nW</mml:mi> <mml:mo>/</mml:mo> <mml:mi>Hz</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mn>1</mml:mn> <mml:mo>/</mml:mo> <mml:mn>2</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> </mml:msup> </mml:mrow> </mml:math> in the frequency range from 0.02 to 0.3 THz. These results pave the way for the exploitation of topological insulators for high-frequency operation in real-time imaging within long-wavelength optoelectronics.