Humans have mastered the art of sending and receiving in almost all of the spectrum, from radio waves and microwaves to visible light, X-rays, and gamma rays. But there is a gap that engineers can not tread on - the terahertz.
On the other hand, the advancement of technology might just allow it sometime soon. Researchers from Cavendish Laboratory, Universities of Augsburg (Germany), and Lancaster have discovered a new effect in two-dimensional conductive systems that promises better performance of terahertz detectors.
Scientists Discovered New Effect in 2D Conductive Systems That Promise Better Performance of Terahertz Detectors
What is Terahertz?
According to Techopedia, terahertz (THz) is a frequency that equals 1 trillion hertz (1012 Hz) and often refers to the electromagnetic wave invisible to the naked eye with a wavelength of 0.1 mm or 1 µm up to 1 mm.
It lies between the microwave and infrared range, called the terahertz gap. Unlike the microwave and infrared spectrum, terahertz application is still in its infancy because at these frequencies, the electromagnetic radiation is too high or too thin to be digitally measured and the generating and modulation of electromagnetic signals in terahertz are also challenging using the conventional devices that generate radio waves and microwaves.
Additionally, the silicon in existing electronics needs to pulsate quickly at trillions of cycles per second to enter the terahertz gap. But the chips in smartphones, computers, and other devices can only work at millions or billions of cycles per second and struggle to reach trillions. Although some devices can work with terahertz, it is too costly and can cost as much as a luxury car. Engineers hope to create a device that is cheaper and more efficient in processing terahertz.
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Developing A New Type of Terahertz Detector
In their breakout discovery, Phys.org reported that researchers had developed a new type of terahertz detector that showed a stronger signal than it should theoretically be.
Researchers explained that the mechanism behind that lies in how light interacts with matter, wherein matter absorbs light in the form of photons at high frequencies. The interpretation was first proposed by Albert Einstein's quantum mechanics, which explained the photoelectric effect.
Photoexcitation is how cameras detect light and it is also what generates electricity from solar cells that turn it into light. A known photoelectric effect is the release of electrons from a conductive material by incident photons.
In 3D, photons can expel electrons in the ultraviolet or X-ray range or be released into the range between a mid-infrared or visible light.
Researchers noted that they have successfully proven that such effects can also happen in 2D electron gases at lower frequencies. They named this phenomenon an "in-plane photoelectric effect."
Scientists describe several benefits of exploiting this effect for terahertz detection, particularly in the magnitude of photoresponse, which is higher than expected from other mechanisms. Therefore, the scientists expect this effect to allow the fabrication of terahertz detectors with high sensitivity, bringing it one step closer to making terahertz technology usable in the real world.
They described in full their findings in the study titled "An In-Plane Photoelectric Effect in Two-Dimensional Electron Systems for Terahertz Detection," published in Science Advances.
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