This chapter is dedicated to study the semiconductor surface states, which combined with nanolithography techniques could result on remarkable properties of advanced nanodevices suitable for terahertz (THz) signal detection or harvesting. The author presents the use of low-dimensional semiconductor heterostructures for the development of the so-called self-switching diodes (SSDs), studying by simulation tool key parameters in detail such as the shape and size of the two-dimensional electron gas system. The impact of the geometry on the working principle of the nanodevice and the effects on current-voltage behavior will be described in order to acquire design guidelines that may improve the performance of the self-switching diodes when applied to low-power square-law rectifiers as well as elements in rectennas by appropriately setting the size of the components.
Part of the book: Electromagnetic Materials and Devices