Sensitive and Anisotropic Room-Temperature Terahertz Photodetection in Quasi-1D Nodal-Line Semimetal NbNiTe₅

Low-dimensional topological materials merge the benefits of reduced dimensionality with the nontrivial topological phases, garnering significant attention as promising candidates for next-generation optoelectronic devices. The quasi-1D nodal-line semimetal NbNiTe₅ showcases distinct in-plane anisotropy alongside robust Dirac nodal-line points, rendering it a fascinating platform for exploring the intricate interplay between novel quantum states of matter and low-energy radiation. Here, sensitive and anisotropic terahertz photodetection driven by Dirac fermions and the intrinsic anisotropic properties of NbNiTe₅ are presented. Leveraging the enhanced carrier transport characteristics derived from nontrivial band topology, room-temperature responsivity of 1.36 A W^-1, noise equivalent power of 5.31 × 10^-11 W Hz^-1/2 as well as fast photoresponse speed of 4.5 µs are achieved. The exceptionally high anisotropic photoresponse ratio of 84 highlights the potential for improving the performance of polarization-sensitive photodetectors. This work is crucial for advancing the understanding of nontrivial topology and the development of terahertz photodetector technologies.