Photoconductive Terahertz Sources Research Articles

Pulsed free space two-port photonic vector network analyzer with up to 2 THz bandwidth.

We demonstrate a free space two-port photonic vector network analyzer capable of measuring the scattering parameters of devices and materials in the terahertz range with a frequency coverage of 0.2 - 2 THz in a single system. It is based on photoconductive terahertz sources and detectors driven by a telecom-wavelength femtosecond laser. Being able to cover a bandwidth of one order of magnitude, the system is capable of performing S-parameter measurements deep into the terahertz range, beyond frequencies reachable by their electronic counterparts. We demonstrate high performance at three application examples, namely S-parameter measurements of a split ring resonator array and a distributed Bragg reflector, as well as material parameter extraction of several materials.

A Connected Array of Coherent Photoconductive Pulsed Sources to Generate mW Average Power in the Submillimeter Wavelength Band

A pulsed photoconductive terahertz (THz) source is presented that is able to radiate milliwatt (mW) level average power over a large bandwidth, by exploiting both the optical and electrical properties of photoconductive sources and the ultrawideband properties of connected antenna arrays. An optical system composed of a microlenses array splits the laser beam into $\boldsymbol{N \times N}$ spots that host the active excitation of the antenna arrays. An “ad hoc” network is introduced to bias the array active spots in order to implement a connected antenna array configuration. The array feeds a silicon lens to increase the directivity of the radiated THz beam. A dipole and a slot array are designed. Prototypes have been fabricated and measured. Power and spectrum measurements of the prototypes are in excellent agreement with the expected results. The proposed solutions achieve excellent power radiation levels by exploiting accurate electromagnetic design. Thus, they can offer enhancements to any active system relying on pulsed photoconductive antennas.

Comparative Efficiency and Power Assessment of Optical Photoconductive Material-Based Terahertz Sources for Wireless Communication Systems

Terahertz band has recently attracted the attention of the communication society due to its huge bandwidth and very high-speed wireless communications capability. It has been utilized in a variety of disciplines including physics, biology and astronomy for years; and the main concerns have always been obtaining highly efficient and high-power terahertz sources. Today, these problems are still the most important issues in establishing an operable wireless terahertz communication link. In this paper, recent studies in the field of terahertz source design are investigated based on the terahertz output power and efficiency. Solid-state sources and optical sources were comparatively reviewed with optical photoconductive material (OPM)-based methods which are combined with the terahertz antennas in the design phase generally. For wireless communication, the most suitable frequencies are between 0.3[Formula: see text]THz and 1[Formula: see text]THz due to the attenuation profile of the atmosphere. For this reason, based on the recently published studies, it has been observed that OPM and resonant tunneling diode-based sources are the most promising terahertz sources in terms of efficiency and power. Key issues and the main problems of terahertz photoconductive antennas which are the base of OPM method were also discussed in this paper.

Impact of the Metal Adhesion Layer on the Radiation Power of Plasmonic Photoconductive Terahertz Sources

The use of plasmonic contact electrodes in a photoconductive terahertz source offers high optical-to-terahertz conversion efficiencies. The high efficiency is because plasmonic contact electrodes concentrate a large portion of the incident optical pump beam in close proximity to the contact electrodes. By reducing the average transport path length of the photo-generated carriers from the contact electrodes, a larger number of the photocarriers drift to the terahertz radiating elements of the photoconductive source within a sub-picosecond time scale. Therefore, higher terahertz radiation power levels are achieved compared to a similar photoconductive source without plasmonic contact electrodes. Au is a preferred metal for plasmonic contact electrodes because of the strong plasmonic enhancement factors it offers at near-infrared optical wavelengths. However, it requires an adhesion layer to stick well to most III–V semiconductor substrates used in photoconductive terahertz sources. In this paper, we analyze the impact of the Au adhesion layer on the performance of plasmonic photoconductive sources fabricated on a GaAs substrate. Our analysis suggests that Cr is the most promising adhesion layer for plasmonic contact electrodes. We show that the use of a Cr adhesion layer instead of Ti, which is used in previously demonstrated plasmonic photoconductive sources, offers up to an 80% enhancement in the generated terahertz powers. We report record-high terahertz power emissions of up to 6.7 mW from plasmonic photoconductive sources with Cr/Au contacts.

A High-Power Broadband Terahertz Source Enabled by Three-Dimensional Light Confinement in a Plasmonic Nanocavity

The scope and potential uses of time-domain terahertz imaging and spectroscopy are mainly limited by the low optical-to-terahertz conversion efficiency of photoconductive terahertz sources. State-of-the-art photoconductive sources utilize short-carrier-lifetime semiconductors to recombine carriers that cannot contribute to efficient terahertz generation and cause additional thermal dissipation. Here, we present a novel photoconductive terahertz source that offers a significantly higher efficiency compared with terahertz sources fabricated on short-carrier-lifetime substrates. The key innovative feature of this source is the tight three-dimensional confinement of the optical pump beam around the terahertz nanoantennas that are used as radiating elements. This is achieved by means of a nanocavity formed by plasmonic structures and a distributed Bragg reflector. Consequently, almost all of the photo-generated carriers can be routed to the terahertz nanoantennas within a sub-picosecond time-scale. This results in a very strong, ultrafast current that drives the nanoantennas to produce broadband terahertz radiation. We experimentally demonstrate that this terahertz source can generate 4 mW pulsed terahertz radiation under an optical pump power of 720 mW over the 0.1–4 THz frequency range. This is the highest reported power level for terahertz radiation from a photoconductive terahertz source, representing more than an order of magnitude of enhancement in the optical-to-terahertz conversion efficiency compared with state-of-the-art photoconductive terahertz sources fabricated on short-carrier-lifetime substrates.

Focus and Alignment Tolerance in a Photoconductive Terahertz Source

Robust coupling between a pulsed laser beam and a photoelectric circuit is an important issue in the development of miniaturized, integrated, and embedded terahertz instrumentation. Here, we present a study of the effect of varying the focus and alignment parameters of an excitation laser pulse on the emission characteristics of a standard Hertzian- dipole type terahertz photoelectric source. The objective is to quantify the tolerance of a terahertz time-domain spectroscopy system, and we study the variation of peak amplitude, waveform, phase, and energy distribution as a function of excitation position and defocus. We find that a terahertz source can be made relatively tolerant to variations in focus, alignment, and details of the geometry of the photoelectric system, providing a window for a more robust field operation.

Advanced Photoconductive Terahertz Optoelectronics Based on Nano-Antennas and Nano-Plasmonic Light Concentrators

High power sources and high sensitivity detectors are highly in demand for terahertz imaging and sensing systems. Use of nano-antennas and nano-plasmonic light concentrators in photoconductive terahertz sources and detectors has proven to offer significantly higher terahertz radiation powers and detection sensitivities by enhancing photoconductor quantum efficiency while maintaining its ultrafast operation. This is because of the unique capability of nano-antennas and nano-plasmonic structures in manipulating the concentration of photo-generated carriers within the device active area, allowing a larger number of photocarriers to efficiently contribute to terahertz radiation and detection. An overview of some of the recent advancements in terahertz optoelectronic devices through use of various types of nano-antennas and nano-plasmonic light concentrators is presented in this article.

Microlensless interdigitated photoconductive terahertz emitters.

We report here fabrication of interdigitated photoconductive antenna (iPCA) terahertz (THz) emitters based on plasmonic electrode design. Novel design of this iPCA enables it to work without microlens array focusing, which is otherwise required for photo excitation of selective photoconductive regions to avoid the destructive interference of emitted THz radiation from oppositely biased regions. Benefit of iPCA over single active region PCA is, photo excitation can be done at larger area hence avoiding the saturation effect at higher optical excitation density. The emitted THz radiation power from plasmonic-iPCAs is ~2 times more than the single active region plasmonic PCA at 200 mW optical excitation, which will further increase at higher optical powers. This design is expected to reduce fabrication cost of photoconductive THz sources and detectors.

Nanoplasmonics enhanced terahertz sources.

Arrayed hexagonal metal nanostructures are used to maximize the local current density while providing effective thermal management at the nanoscale, thereby allowing for increased emission from photoconductive terahertz (THz) sources. The THz emission field amplitude was increased by 60% above that of a commercial THz photoconductive antenna, even though the hexagonal nanostructured device had 75% of the bias voltage. The arrayed hexagonal outperforms our previously investigated strip array nanoplasmonic structure by providing stronger localization of the current density near the metal surface with an operating bandwidth of 2.6 THz. This approach is promising to achieve efficient THz sources.

Design, Fabrication, and Experimental Characterization of Plasmonic Photoconductive Terahertz Emitters

In this video article we present a detailed demonstration of a highly efficient method for generating terahertz waves. Our technique is based on photoconduction, which has been one of the most commonly used techniques for terahertz generation 1-8. Terahertz generation in a photoconductive emitter is achieved by pumping an ultrafast photoconductor with a pulsed or heterodyned laser illumination. The induced photocurrent, which follows the envelope of the pump laser, is routed to a terahertz radiating antenna connected to the photoconductor contact electrodes to generate terahertz radiation. Although the quantum efficiency of a photoconductive emitter can theoretically reach 100%, the relatively long transport path lengths of photo-generated carriers to the contact electrodes of conventional photoconductors have severely limited their quantum efficiency. Additionally, the carrier screening effect and thermal breakdown strictly limit the maximum output power of conventional photoconductive terahertz sources. To address the quantum efficiency limitations of conventional photoconductive terahertz emitters, we have developed a new photoconductive emitter concept which incorporates a plasmonic contact electrode configuration to offer high quantum-efficiency and ultrafast operation simultaneously. By using nano-scale plasmonic contact electrodes, we significantly reduce the average photo-generated carrier transport path to photoconductor contact electrodes compared to conventional photoconductors 9. Our method also allows increasing photoconductor active area without a considerable increase in the capacitive loading to the antenna, boosting the maximum terahertz radiation power by preventing the carrier screening effect and thermal breakdown at high optical pump powers. By incorporating plasmonic contact electrodes, we demonstrate enhancing the optical-to-terahertz power conversion efficiency of a conventional photoconductive terahertz emitter by a factor of 50 10.

Design, Fabrication, and Experimental Characterization of Plasmonic Photoconductive Terahertz Emitters

In this video article we present a detailed demonstration of a highly efficient method for generating terahertz waves. Our technique is based on photoconduction, which has been one of the most commonly used techniques for terahertz generation (1-8). Terahertz generation in a photoconductive emitter is achieved by pumping an ultrafast photoconductor with a pulsed or heterodyned laser illumination. The induced photocurrent, which follows the envelope of the pump laser, is routed to a terahertz radiating antenna connected to the photoconductor contact electrodes to generate terahertz radiation. Although the quantum efficiency of a photoconductive emitter can theoretically reach 100%, the relatively long transport path lengths of photo-generated carriers to the contact electrodes of conventional photoconductors have severely limited their quantum efficiency. Additionally, the carrier screening effect and thermal breakdown strictly limit the maximum output power of conventional photoconductive terahertz sources. To address the quantum efficiency limitations of conventional photoconductive terahertz emitters, we have developed a new photoconductive emitter concept which incorporates a plasmonic contact electrode configuration to offer high quantum-efficiency and ultrafast operation simultaneously. By using nano-scale plasmonic contact electrodes, we significantly reduce the average photo-generated carrier transport path to photoconductor contact electrodes compared to conventional photoconductors (9). Our method also allows increasing photoconductor active area without a considerable increase in the capacitive loading to the antenna, boosting the maximum terahertz radiation power by preventing the carrier screening effect and thermal breakdown at high optical pump powers. By incorporating plasmonic contact electrodes, we demonstrate enhancing the optical-to-terahertz power conversion efficiency of a conventional photoconductive terahertz emitter by a factor of 50 (10).

Coulomb and radiation screening in photoconductive terahertz sources

We distinguish the screening contributions due to the Coulomb and radiation parts of the electromagnetic field subsequent to the ultrafast photogeneration of electron-hole pairs in photoconductive GaAs terahertz (THz) sources. We employ the Monte Carlo method self-consistently including the Maxwell equations to study the effects of the excitation-spot size and excitation level on the emitted THz radiation, and find for a range of reasonable excitation levels an excitation-spot diameter of ∼100μm as the crossover point beyond which radiation effects dominate screening.

Pulsed photoconductive antenna terahertz sources made on ion-implanted GaAssubstrates

In this work we show that improved performances of terahertz emitters can be obtainedusing an ion implantation process. Our photoconductive materials consist of high-resistivityGaAs substrates. Terahertz pulses are generated by exciting our devices with ultrashortnear-infrared laser pulses. The ion implantation introduces non-radiative centres, whichreduce the carrier lifetime in GaAs. The presence of the charged defects also induces aredistribution of the electric field between the antenna electrodes. This effect has a hugeinfluence on the amplitude of the radiated terahertz field. Results obtained asa function of the laser excitation power are discussed and a comparison of theperformance of these devices with a conventional antenna-type emitter is given.

Effect of spherical aberration and surface waves on propagation of lens-coupled terahertz pulses

Spatiotemporal measurements of a near-single-cycle terahertz pulse emitted from a photoconductive switch terahertz (THz) source show the effects of spherical aberration and surface waves on the pulse shape. The measured phase front has a swallow-tail shape described by catastrophe theory that contributes to the concentric ring structure of THz beam profiles. A time-of-flight model shows that the pulse shape is due to propagation along a cusp caustic and enhancement of the wings of the swallow-tail pulse is caused by surface waves.