Antenna-coupled terahertz radiation from joule-heated single-wall carbon nanotubes

Abstract

In this letter an experimental method is introduced that allows detection of terahertz (THz) radiation from arrays of joule-heated Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (SWCNTs), by coupling this radiation through integrated antennas and a silicon lens. The radiation forms a diffraction-limited beam with a total maximum radiated power of 450 nW, significantly greater than the power estimated from Nyquist thermal noise (8 nW). The physical radiation process is unknown at this stage, but possible explanations for the high radiated power are discussed briefly. The emission has a typical bandwidth of 1.2 THz and can be tuned to different frequencies by changing the dimensions of the antennas. Arrays of the devices could be integrated in CMOS integrated circuits, and find application in THz systems, such as in near-range medical imaging.