Terahertz waveguides based on multichannel sapphire shaped crystals

Abstract

In this paper, an advantage of sapphire shaped crystal use for highly efficient terahertz (THz) waveguiding is discussed. The THz photonic crystal waveguide has been manufactured using the edge-defined film-fed growth (EFG) or Stepanov technique of shaped crystal growth. The effective mode index and extinction coefficient of the waveguide have been experimentally studied using the THz pulsed spectroscopy. The observed results have shown that the multichannel sapphire crystal allows guiding the THz waves with minimal dispersion in frequency range of 1:0 to 1:55 THz and minimal loss of 2 dB/m at 1:45 THz. The waveguides based on sapphire shaped crystals can be employed in wide range of THz technology applications, including non-destructive evaluation of materials, medical diagnostics, and sensing in aggressive environment.