Detection of electromagnetic radiation using nonlinear materials

摘要

An apparatus for detecting electromagnetic radiation within a target frequency range is provided. The apparatus includes a substrate and one or more resonator structures disposed on the substrate. The substrate can be a dielectric or semiconductor material. Each of the one or more resonator structures has at least one dimension that is less than the wavelength of target electromagnetic radiation within the target frequency range, and each of the resonator structures includes at least two conductive structures separated by a spacing. Charge carriers are induced in the substrate near the spacing when the resonator structures are exposed to the target electromagnetic radiation. A measure of the change in conductivity of the substrate due to the induced charge carriers provides an indication of the presence of the target electromagnetic radiation.

主权项

1. An image sensor comprising a plurality of sensor elements, at least one sensor element in the plurality of sensor elements comprising:
a substrate comprising a depletion region; and at least one detector element disposed on the substrate, the at least one detector element comprising at least one resonator structure, the at least one resonator structure comprising at least two conductive structures separated by a spacing, wherein the at least one sensor element is configured such that charge carriers are generated in a region of the substrate near the spacing based on an enhanced electric field induced in the spacing by a resonant response of the at least one resonator structure to a presence of target electromagnetic radiation; wherein a thickness of the substrate is configured such that the charge carriers are generated in the depletion region when the image sensor is illuminated by the target electromagnetic radiation; and wherein the image sensor is configured to measure a conductivity based on the generated charge carriers as an indication of the presence of the target electromagnetic radiation.