Title :
A Terahertz Detector Array in a SiGe HBT Technology
Author :
Al Hadi, Richard ; Grzyb, Janusz ; Heinemann, B. ; Pfeiffer, Ullrich R.
Author_Institution :
Inst. for High-Freq. & Commun. Technol., Univ. of Wuppertal, Wuppertal, Germany
Abstract :
This paper presents HBT terahertz power detectors implemented in an experimental 0.25- μm SiGe process technology with a peak fT/fmax of 280/435 GHz. Based on the nonlinearity of the HBT base-emitter junction, the detector operates as a square-law down converter, mixing terahertz frequencies directly to dc. Fifteen detectors have been arranged in a 3 × 5-pixel array with differential on-chip ring antennas. The array has been assembled with a hyper-hemispherical silicon lens. Referred to the collecting aperture of the lens, a maximum optical current responsivity RI of 1 A/W and a minimum noise equivalent power (NEP) of about 50 pW/√{Hz} have been measured at 0.7 THz with a 125-kHz chopping frequency. The detectors have been characterized from 0.65 to 1 THz.
Keywords :
Ge-Si alloys; elemental semiconductors; heterojunction bipolar transistors; silicon; submillimetre wave detectors; terahertz wave detectors; HBT; SiGe; base-emitter junction; frequency 0.65 THz to 1 THz; frequency 0.7 THz; frequency 125 kHz; frequency 280 GHz; frequency 435 GHz; hyper-hemispherical lens; noise equivalent power; on-chip ring antennas; size 0.25 mum; square-law down converter; terahertz detector array; terahertz power detectors; Antenna measurements; Arrays; Current measurement; Detectors; Heterojunction bipolar transistors; Optical variables measurement; Radio frequency; BiCMOS; HBT; SiGe; distributed resistive self-mixing; resistive mixer; silicon lens; square-law power detectors; submillimeter wave detectors; submillimeter-wave imaging; terahertz (THz); terahertz direct detection; terahertz imaging;
Journal_Title :
Solid-State Circuits, IEEE Journal of
DOI :
10.1109/JSSC.2013.2265493
