THz optical beat-note detection with a fast superconducting hot electron bolometer operating up to 31†GHz.

We study the performance of a hot-electron bolometer (HEB) operating at THz frequencies based on superconducting niobium nitride films. We report on the voltage response of the detector over a large electrical detection bandwidth carried out with different THz sources. We show that the impulse response of the fully packaged HEB at 7.5 K has a 3 dB cutoff around 2 GHz. Remarkably, detection capability is still observed above 30 GHz in an heterodyne beating experiment using a THz quantum cascade laser frequency comb. Additionally, the HEB sensitivity has been evaluated and an optical noise equivalent power NEP of 0.8 pW/√H z has been measured at 1 MHz.

Co/Pd-Based synthetic antiferromagnetic thin films on Au/resist underlayers: towards biomedical applications.

Thin film stacks consisting of multiple repeats M of synthetic antiferromagnetic (SAF) [Co/Pd]N/Ru/[Co/Pd]N units with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy were explored as potential starting materials to fabricate free-standing micro/nanodisks, which represent a promising candidate system for theranostic applications. The films were directly grown on a sacrificial resist layer spin-coated on SiOx/Si(100) substrates, required for the preparation of free-standing disks after its dissolution. Furthermore, the film stack was sandwiched between two Au layers to allow further bio-functionalization. For M ≤ 5, the samples fulfill all the key criteria mandatory for biomedical applications, i.e., zero remanence, zero field susceptibility at small fields and sharp switching to saturation, together with the ability to vary the total magnetic moment at saturation by changing the number of repetitions of the multi-stack. Moreover, the samples show strong perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, which is required for applications relying on the transduction of a mechanical force through the micro/nano-disks under a magnetic field, such as the mechanical cell disruption, which is nowadays considered a promising alternative to the more investigated magnetic hyperthermia approach for cancer treatment. In a further step, SAF microdisks were prepared from the continuous multi-stacks by combining electron beam lithography and Ar ion milling, revealing similar magnetic properties as compared to the continuous films.

Self-assembling of large ordered DNA arrays using superhydrophobic patterned surfaces.

In this paper we present a simple and robust method to realize highly ordered arrays of stretched and suspended DNA molecules over the millimeter length scale. To this end we used an ad hoc designed superhydrophobic surface made of high aspect-ratio silicon pillars, where we deposited a droplet containing genomic DNA. A precise positioning of DNA strands was achieved by shaping the silicon pillars so that sharpened features resembling tips were included. Such features allowed us to accurately control the droplet de-wetting dynamics, pinning DNA strands in a well-defined position above pillars. The proposed technique has the potential to positively impact on the development of novel DNA chips for genetic analysis.

Polycrystalline diamond UV-triggered MESFET receivers.

Optically triggered UV sensitive receivers were fabricated on polycrystalline diamond as surface channel MESFETs. Opaque gates with asymmetric structure were designed in order to improve charge photogeneration mainly within the gate-drain region. Photogenerated holes contributed to the channel charge by assistance of the local electric field, in such a way improving the current signal at the drain contact. The sensitivity to UV light is demonstrated by using 3 ns wide laser pulses at 193 nm, well over the diamond bandgap. The receiver transient response to such laser pulses shows that the photogeneration process is only limited by the pulse rise time and charge collection at the drain contact completed in a time scale of a few nanoseconds. Such opaque gate three-terminal devices are suitable for application in emerging photonic technologies, for power-management system optical receivers, where copper wires and EM shielding can be replaced by lightweight optical fibers.

Surface channel MESFETs on hydrogenated diamond.

Metal­semiconductor field effect transistors (MESFETs) based on hydrogen terminated diamond were fabricated according to different layouts. Aluminum gates were used on single crystal and low-roughness polycrystalline diamond substrates while gold was used for ohmic contacts. Hydrogen terminated layers were deeply investigated by means of Hall bars and transfer length structures. Room temperature Hall and field effect mobility values in excess of 100 cm2 V⁻¹ s⁻¹ were measured on commercial and single crystal epitaxial growth (100) plates by using the same hydrogenation process. Hydrogen induced two-dimensional hole gas resulted in sheet resistances essentially stable and repeatable depending on the substrate quality. Self-aligned 400 nm gate length FETs on single crystal substrates showed current density and transconductance values>100 mA mm⁻¹ and >40 mS mm⁻¹, respectively. Devices with gate length LG=200 nm showed fMax=26.4 GHz and fT=13.2 GHz whereas those fabricated on polycrystalline diamond, with the same gate geometry, exceeded fMax=23 GHz and fT=7 GHz. This work focused on the optimization of a self-aligned gate structure with respect to the fixed drain-to-source structure with which we observed higher frequency values; the new structure resulted in improvement of DC characteristics, better impedance matching and a reduction in the fMax/fT ratio.