Oct 2026· Optical Engineering + Applications· Vol 14221, pp. 142210F - 142210F-6· 0 citations· 8 references
Engineering
Abstract
Terahertz (THz) detectors based on micro- and nano-electromechanical system (MEMS/NEMS) resonators have emerged as a promising class of uncooled sensors due to their high sensitivity, fast response, and compatibility with microfabrication technologies. In these devices, incident THz radiation induces thermal effect that is transduced into measurable shifts in the resonance frequency of mechanical resonators. Recent advances have significantly improved key performance metrics such as noise-equivalent power (NEP) and response time. As a representative example, our recently developed SOI MEMS bolometer achieves a low NEP of 36 pW/√Hz and a fast thermal response time of ~88 μ s, outperforming conventional uncooled thermal detectors. The device further exhibits broadband sensitivity from 1–270 THz. This talk reviews recent progress in MEMS/NEMS resonator-based THz detectors and discusses remaining challenges and future opportunities for compact, high-performance THz sensing systems for spectroscopy and imaging applications.
Superconducting quantum capacitance detectors (QCDs) have emerged as among the most sensitive terahertz (THz) photon detectors, positioning them as promising detector components for next-generation cryogenic telescopes. However, their limited dynamic range (DR, ∼32 dB) and low saturation power (∼0.1 fW) have hindered t...
Tian-Yuan Chi, Jing-Bo Wu, Li-Li Shi et al.· APL Photonics· 0 citations
Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) enables broadband, time-resolved imaging for applications ranging from non-destructive inspection to biomedical diagnostics, but conventional imaging systems relying on single pixel devices with mechanical scanning are inherently slow and poorly scalable. High-throughput THz...
Anika Tabassum, M. Jarrahi· Terahertz Emitters, Receiver...· 0 citations
Terahertz (THz) modulators are essential components for dynamic wavefront control in imaging, sensing, and wireless communication systems. However, practical THz modulators require simultaneous optimization of multiple functional metrics, including modulation depth, resonance quality, insertion loss, switching spee...
Terahertz (THz) spectroscopy provides unique access to fundamental excitations in quantum materials. Typically, the THz response of these materials is measured in a cryogenic environment, so that the characteristic quantum behavior can be observed. However, the difficulty of focusing THz radiation from free space on th...
Laura Heller, Hansol Kim, G. Spalding et al.· Quantum Communications and Q...· 0 citations
Terahertz photonic sensing provides a powerful platform for probing biological materials on-chip due to its strong sensitivity to molecular resonances. Here, we demonstrate a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor-compatible, silicon-based topological Mach–Zehnder interferometer operating in the THz regime for robust...
Muhammad Helmi Bin Azmi, Nikhil Navaratna, T. Tan et al.· Applied Physics Letters· 0 citations
This paper reports a novel photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS) gas sensor based on micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) that achieves resonance matching between a multilayer PZT piezoelectric microcantilever and an H-type acoustic resonator. The device integrates the PZT thin film and exhibits a measured mechanical res...
Shan Lin, Yong-Kang Gong, A. Michael et al.· Photoacoustics· 0 citations
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