Photodetector capable of detecting long wavelength radiation

1. A method for assembling a photodetector capable of detecting long wavelength radiation, the method comprising:

providing a source and a drain;

coupling the source and the drain with at least one nano-assembly;

positioning at least two surface plasmon waveguides between the source and the drain and juxtaposing to the at least one nano-assembly in a longitudinal direction of the at least one nano-assembly; and

wherein one of the at least two surface plasmon waveguides is positioned along a first side of the at least one nano-assembly, and another of the at least two surface plasmon waveguides is positioned along a second side of the at least one nano-assembly that is opposite the first side.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming the at least one nano-assembly by epitaxial growth.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

providing a substrate;

preparing an insulation layer on the substrate on which the source and the drain are positioned.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least two surface plasmon waveguides are positioned to receive photons from incident light and to confine at least a portion of the photons around at least a portion of the nano-assembly.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least two surface plasmon waveguides is in contact with the at least one nano-assembly.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least two surface plasmon waveguides is spaced from the at least one nano-assembly.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one nano-assembly is configured to have at least one intersubband such that at least one transition of electrons in the at least one intersubband corresponds to detection of a photon.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the source and the drain are spaced from each other.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one nano-assembly includes at least one of a nanowire, a nanobelt, or a nanorod.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one nano-assembly includes an array of at least one of a nano-wire, a nanobelt, or a nanorod.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one nano-assembly includes at least one material selected from the group consisting of ZnO, Si, and InAs.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one nano-assembly includes a plurality of nano-assemblies each of which is fabricated from different types of material.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least two surface plasmon waveguides is fabricated from a metallic material.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the metallic material includes silver.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the long wavelength radiation has a wavelength of at least 1 μm.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one nano-assembly has a width of about 10 nm to about 500 nm and a length of about 0.5 μm to about 5 μm.

17. A method for manufacturing a photodetector capable of detecting long wavelength radiation, the method comprising:

forming a source and a drain;

growing at least one nano-assembly that couples the source and the drain, the at least one nano-assembly includes a first side and a second side that is generally opposite the first side; and

positioning a first surface plasmon waveguide between the source and the drain and along the first side of the at least one nano-assembly;

positioning a second surface plasmon waveguide between the source and drain and along the second side of the at least one nano-assembly.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the at least two surface plasmon waveguides are positioned to receive photons from incident light and to confine at least a portion of the photons around at least a portion of the nano-assembly.

19. A method for manufacturing a photodetector capable of detecting long wavelength radiation, the method comprising:

forming a source and a drain;

growing at least one nano-assembly that couples the source and the drain, the at least one nano-assembly includes a first side and a second side that is generally opposite the first side; and

positioning a first surface plasmon waveguide between the source and the drain and along the first side of the at least one nano-assembly; and

positioning a second surface plasmon waveguide between the source and drain and along the second side of the at least one nano-assembly;

wherein the first and second surface plasmon waveguides are positioned to receive photons from incident light and to confine at least a portion of the photons around at least a portion of the nano-assembly.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein growing at least one nano-assembly that couples the source and the drain includes epitaxially growing the at least one nano-assembly.