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The strong potential of intersubband detectors in the field of mid-infrared photodetection places this technology as a relevant alternative to HgCdTe detectors in the race for ultrafast operation. While their extremely short photocarrier's lifetime opens up possibilities of detection beyond 100 GHz, it is also the main reason for their comparatively high dark current. Here, a photovoltaic quantum cascade detector at 10.3 μm, embedded in a metal–metal patch antenna is presented in both direct and heterodyne detection schemes. In DC, a responsivity of 122 mA/W at 77 K and 85 mA/W at 295 K is reached. More strikingly, the device shows temperature independent heterodyne response with a capacitance-limited cutoff frequency of 25 GHz both at 77 K and room temperature. It is modeled quantitatively by means of an equivalent RC-circuit picture stemming from microscopic transport considerations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have studied the static and dynamical properties of a graphene microwave nanotransistor to be used as sensitive fast charge detectors. The channel consists of exfoliated graphene on SiO2 with a 120 nm long, 900–1500 nm wide top-gate deposited on 5 nm AlOx dielectric. The scattering parameters were measured up to 60 GHz from which we deduce the gate capacitance, the drain conductance and the transconductance as a function of gate voltage. The broad measuring band allows us to measure the current gain and to map its full spectrum so as to extract reliable values of the transit frequency fT. From these measurements, we could estimate the carrier mobility, the doping of the access leads, the gate capacitance and the transconductance. The transconductance per unit width and bias voltage is larger than 1 mS µm−1 V−1 which compares with the performance of high electron mobility transistors. High-frequency characterization is achieved using microwave probe stations. Finally, using recent noise thermometry measurements, we estimate the charge resolution of graphene nanotransistors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]