Ultrasensitive THz Detection with Graphene Nanobolometers

Friday, October 11, 2013 – 2:30pm
Regents 351
Daniel Prober
Depts. of Applied Physics, Physics, EE, Yale University

Graphene has recently been proposed as an ultrasensitive THz photon detector element with unsurpassed sensitivity. We have modeled the physical processes in a graphene single-photon detector in the THz range.(1-3) A Johnson noise temperature readout would be employed. We conclude that detection of individual THz photons should indeed be possible. Recently we have studied in experiment the energy loss processes in graphene above 2K, a key determinant of the photon detector performance. Current experiments extend these measurements down to 50 mK, with graphene bolometers having superconducting contacts. These contacts are used to confine the absorbed photon energy to the graphene, to allow the full detection sensitivity to be achieved.

1. “Graphene-based Bolometers,” Xu Du, Daniel E. Prober, Heli Vora, and Chris McKitterick, arxiv:1308.4065 [cond-mat.mes-hall] (2013).; submitted to J. Low Temp. Phys.

2. “Graphene microbolometers with superconducting contacts for terahertz photon detection,” C.B. McKitterick, H. Vora, X. Du, B.S. Karasik, and D.E. Prober, arxiv:1307.5012 [cond-mat.mes-hall] (2013).

3. “Performance of Graphene Thermal Photon Detectors,” C.B. McKitterick, D.E. Prober, and B.S. Karasik, Journal of Applied Physics 113 044512 (2013).

All references available in www.yale.edu/proberlab

Host: Paola Barbara