Terahertz power dependence of the photoresponse of field effect transistors,
operating at frequencies from 0.1 to 3 THz for incident radiation power density
up to 100 kW/cm^2 was studied for Si metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect
transistors and InGaAs high electron mobility transistors. The photoresponse
increased linearly with increasing radiation power up to kW/cm^2 range. The
saturation of the photoresponse was observed for all investigated field effect
transistors for intensities above several kW/cm^2. The observed signal
saturation is explained by drain photocurrent saturation similar to saturation
in direct currents output characteristics. The theoretical model of terahertz
field effect transistor photoresponse at high intensity was developed. The
model explains quantitatively experimental data both in linear and nonlinear
(saturation) range. Our results show that dynamic range of field effect
transistors is very high and can extend over more than six orderd of magnitudes
of power densities (from 0.5 mW/cm^2 to 5 kW/cm^2)
