Abstract
Terahertz (THz) quantum cascade laser sources based on optical nonlinearity are the only electrically pumped monolithic semiconductor sources operable at room temperature in the 0.6–6 THz range. We investigated the temperature dependence of the imaging characteristics of a broadband THz nonlinear quantum cascade laser and evaluated several important properties: the spectrum, far-field pattern and THz imaging results. Consequently, we found that the far-field patterns were single-lobed Gaussian-like, and THz images were well-resolved despite the lower operating temperature of the device. The stable temperature-performance indicates that this broadband THz source is promising for THz imaging applications.
Highlights
Terahertz (THz) frequency range radiation (0.3–10 THz) has been used to demonstrate the imaging of objects that are opaque at optical frequencies [1,2]
THz NL-QCLs are suitable for imaging applications, and we previously demonstrated high-quality non-destructive imaging using a broadband THz NL-QCL [26]
We investigated the temperature dependence of the imaging properties of a broadband THz NL-QCL
Summary
Terahertz (THz) frequency range radiation (0.3–10 THz) has been used to demonstrate the imaging of objects that are opaque at optical frequencies [1,2]. Alongside the development of THz-QCL technology, THz-QCL sources based on intra-cavity difference-frequency generation (DFG) have been developed as a new type of room temperature semiconductor THz light source [16] These devices, known as THz DFG-QCLs or THz NL-QCLs (THz nonlinear quantum cascade lasers), use two-color mid-IR laser active regions engineered to exhibit a large intersubband nonlinear susceptibility χ2 for an efficient THz DFG process. In addition to the features that THz NL-QCLs are compact, room temperature semiconductor light sources, these devices show a single-lobed Gaussian-like beam pattern due to the Cherenkov emission scheme [21,26]. Such good beam quality has major advantages in terms of practical applications. We investigated the temperature dependence of the imaging properties (far-field pattern and THz imaging results) of a broadband THz NL-QCL
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