Scalable silicon-integrated antenna-coupled terahertz detectors in BiCMOS for broadband imaging and spectroscopy

A scalable, broadband, cost-effective terahertz detector architecture based on silicon-integrated antenna-coupled BiCMOS technology. The detector features a responsivity of 0.32 kV/W and a noise-equivalent power (NEP) of 3 pW/√ Hz at an optimal frequency of 210 GHz. A broadband antenna with 50% radiation efficiency across a flat band above 200 GHz ensures wideband performance. The 3 dB bandwidth exceeds 200 GHz, making the platform highly suitable for hyperspectral imaging, security screening, biomedical sensing, and high-speed wireless links. To enhance THz radiation coupling, field-of-view, and spatial directivity, the chip will be mounted with a hyper hemispherical silicon lens, forming a compact and efficient front-end for THz imaging and sensing. The use of mainstream BiCMOS processing enables a scalable path to cost-efficient system integration. This architecture paves the way toward large-format focal plane arrays and heterogeneous integration with photonic and electronic subsystems.