Magnetic-field tunable THz detectors based on GaAs/AlGaAs and CdTe/CdMgTe quantum wells

Magnetic-field tunable semiconductor detectors are used in THz spectroscopy due to their sensitivity and possibility to respond to photons in a broad frequency range. We compare THz detectors processed on high electron mobility GaAs/GaAlAs and CdTe/CdMgTe quantum wells. Transmission, photocurrent and photovoltage measurements were carried out as a function of the magnetic field at a constant energy of incident THz photons from a THz laser. The samples investigated were grid-gated and grid-free. The spectra show features resulting from excitation of the cyclotron resonance and magnetoplasmons. Theoretical models allow to analyze quantitatively the frequency of observed excitations and determine plasmon dispersion relations. This study allows to point at advantages and disadvantages of THz cyclotron-resonance and plasmonic detectors fabricated on GaAs- and CdTe-based quantum wells as well as to compare these two types of devices.