Mechanisms and applications of carbon nanotubes in terahertz devices: A review

Terahertz (THz) technology has been widely utilized in fields of multiple disciplines because of its unique properties such as broadband and directivity. With existing and emerging technologies increasing demand for compact, fast and broadband terahertz devices, high-performance THz devices are becoming indispensable. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with superior optical and electronic performance have prompted intense research and significant advances, paving the way for realistic applications. In this review, we introduce the mechanisms of utilizing carbon nanotubes to generate, modulate, polarize, and detect terahertz radiation. We also discuss recent carbon nanotube terahertz devices based on these mechanisms, including THz antennae, emitters, amplifiers, transistors, polarizers, and1 detectors. Furthermore, the main performance achievement for such devices is summarized briefly, and an outlook on the performance improvement for existing deficiencies is presented. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.