Current driven resonant plasma wave detection of terahertz radiation:: Toward the Dyakonov-Shur instability

The experiments on the dc current influence on resonant terahertz plasma wave detection in InGaAs/InAlAs multichannel high electron mobility transistors are reported. We observed the line width shrinking when a dc current is applied. We show that this line width decrease is due to the current induced reduction of plasma wave damping and takes place because the current drives the system toward the Dyakonov-Shur plasma wave instability. (c) 2008 American Institute of Physics.