Coherent terahertz radiation generated from a square-shaped free-electron beam passing through multiple stacked layers with sub-wavelength holes

Abstract

This paper presents terahertz (THz) coherent radiation from the interaction between a square-shaped electron beam and guiding wave mode in a multiple stacked layers with sub-wavelength holes structure. The simulated results show that such a guiding wave mode enhances the field intensity in the electron beam channel so that the interaction is more efficient than the electron beam-surface wave interaction in traditional grating and bi-grating structures. This electron-beam-driven THz source provides a way with much simpler fabrication processes and a larger square size electron beam rather than sheet beam. Furthermore, such a source can be integrated to construct a 2D source-array structure, which demonstrates a good opportunity to generate high power THz radiation.