Graphene Heterodyne Mixture Detection Enables New Imaging in Imaging Technology

The science and technology dynamics were learned from China Electric Power. China National Key 13 special integrated circuit national key laboratory and the Suzhou Institute of nanotechnology, nanodevice and application key laboratory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, recently successfully working frequency of the graphene terahertz detector Raised to 650 GHz, and realized the graphene heterodyne mixing detection for the first time in the world, it opened the door to the new world for terahertz stereo imaging.

Graphene Heterodyne Mixture Detection Opens New Gates for Imaging Technology

Graphene and terahertz, one new material for the future, one for the future of the new technology, the latter as the mysterious existence of the electromagnetic wave family, is also known as "change the world's top ten technologies." This kind of electromagnetic wave with a frequency between 0.1THz and 10THz has lower photon energy and higher penetrating power. It has a wide range of fields such as security imaging, radar, communications, astronomy, atmospheric observation, and biomedicine. Application prospects.

However, the detection of terahertz is very difficult and has always restricted the development of the industry. According to experts from China Electronics 13 experts, existing detection technologies have problems such as deep cryogenic temperatures, slow response speeds, and low detection rates in the working environment. Therefore, the development of ultra-high-sensitivity terahertz detectors for room temperature operation is to promote terahertz technology. The application is of great significance and must be achieved through the use of new materials and research and development of new technologies.

The 13 key laboratories of China Electronics and the Suzhou Institute of Nanosciences and Nanodevices and Applications Key Laboratory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences work together to try to solve these problems. Dr. Wei Cui, a 13 technical expert of China Electronics Technology Corporation, said that the two units have successfully developed a low-impedance, high-sensitivity graphene terahertz detector capable of operating in a room temperature environment by using the most popular “black gold” graphene materials. The operating frequency and sensitivity have reached the highest level in the same class of detectors.

In this cooperation, the main task of the 13 key laboratories of China Electronics Engineering is to increase the mobility of graphene materials, reduce the gate length of the devices, and increase the detection frequency and sensitivity of the detectors. Tsui Tsui said: "We use 'pyrolysis' to make graphene materials. This method is to heat the silicon carbide crystals to 1600 degrees Celsius and evaporate the silicon atoms on the surface, which is obtained by rearranging the remaining carbon atoms. Wafer-level graphene obtained by this method is not only more uniform, but also more secure in terms of the number of layers and electrical properties, and is more capable of industrialization in the future.

The process sounds simple, but any product that is on the order of nanometers is exceptionally difficult. Wei Cui said: The production of detectors with a nanometer-scale gate length imposes very high requirements on the device structure design and key technologies of the technical team.

Dr. Feng Zhihong, Chief Expert of China National Electro-Technical Terahertz Group, led the team and broke through the series of key technologies of the graphene field effect terahertz detector. He independently developed a set of low-damage, self-aligned detection device process and successfully prepared it. The 100 nanometer long graphene terahertz detector significantly improves the detector's operating frequency and sensitivity. (Original title: Chinese research team implements "graphene" heterodyne mixing detection)