(Invited) Recent Advances in the Research of Graphene Plasmonic Terahertz Laser Transistors
Authors: Otsuji Taiichi , Satou Akira , Boubanta-Tombet Staphane , Fukidome Hirokazu , Ryzhii Maxim , Narahara Koichi , Mitin Vladimir , Shur Michael , Ryzhii Victor 
Published: July 2022

Electrons and holes in graphene behave as relativistic charged massless Dirac fermions due to the graphene unique gapless electronic band structure with a linear dispersion law. Dirac plasmons - the quanta of the plasma oscillation of the Dirac electrons - can dramatically enhance the interaction of terahertz (THz) photons with graphene. We have proposed an original current-injection graphene THz laser transistor, demonstrated single-mode THz laser oscillation at low temperatures [1-3], and discovered and demonstrated the THz giant gain enhancement effect by the graphene Dirac plasmons [4-8]. However, further breakthroughs are needed to realize room-temperature high-intensity THz lasing and ultrafast modulation operation for the next generation wireless 6G and 7G communications. In this paper, we will present new ideas on the operating principle and device structures of the THz graphene plasmonic laser transistors with a high radiation intensity and ultrafast modulation capability operating at room temperature.

To dramatically improve the quantum efficiency and gain, we utilize the Coulomb drag effect in lateral n+ - i – n - n+ graphene diode/transistor structures with the ballistic injection of the graphene Dirac fermions [9-11]. Such injection strongly modifies the current-voltage characteristics producing “plasmonic gain” in the THz frequency range applicable for THz oscillations and amplifications. This phenomenon is associated with the specifics of the ballistic electron scattering on quasi-equilibrium electrons in graphene. Depending on the device structural parameters (in particular, the gated region length and its electron Fermi energy), the graphene diode/transistor structures can exhibit either S-shaped or monotonic current-voltage characteristics [9]. In the former case, the resulting hysteresis and current filamentation effects can be used for the implementation of the voltage-switching devices. The feedback between the amplified dragged electrons current and the injected ballistic electrons current can lead to the negative THz dynamic conductivity. The self-excitation of the THz plasma oscillations in the gated region enables the realization of the graphene transistor-based sources of THz radiation [11].

To realize ultrafast modulation of lasing intensity/phase, we introduce actively controlling the parity and time-reversal (PT) symmetry [12] of the graphene Dirac plasmons (GDPs) in the dual-grating-gate graphene-channel field effect transistor (DGG-GFET) nanostructures for the ultrafast modulation of the lasing intensity and phase. [13]. The PT symmetry is expressed by a pair of complementary gain and loss elements. This gain–loss balance leads to the exceptional points at the real frequency axis in the exact PT-phase resulting in the extraordinary frequency response of “unidirectionality” [14]. The DGG-GDP metasurface, which consists of a unit cell comprising a pair of gain and loss regions and its periodical arrangement, promotes the GDP instability. The PT symmetry can be controlled (to be held or broken) by altering the gate or drain bias voltages. Our numerical simulations showed that the laser cavity Q values can be dynamically controllable in a DGG-GDP transistor structure [6] demonstrating 100-Gbit/s-class ultrafast modulation capabilities [13].

The authors thank A.A. Dubinov, D. Yadav, T. Watanabe, T. Suemitsu, W. Knap, V. Kachorovskii, and V.V. Popov for their contributions. This work was supported by JSPS-KAKENHI No. 21H04546, and No. 20K20349, Japan.

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