Antiferromagnetic materials could represent the future of spintronic applications thanks to the numerous interesting features they combine: they are robust against perturbation due to magnetic fields, produce no stray fields, display ultrafast dynamics and are capable of generating large magneto-transport effects Intense research efforts over the past decade have been invested in unraveling spin transport properties in antiferromagnetic materials Whether spin transport can be used to drive the antiferromagnetic order and how subsequent variations can be detected are some of the thrilling challenges currently being addressed Antiferromagnetic spintronics started out with studies on spin transfer, and has undergone a definite revival in the last few years with the publication of pioneering articles on the use of spin-orbit interactions in antiferromagnets This paradigm shift offers possibilities for radically new concepts for spin manipulation in electronics Central to these endeavors are the need for predictive models, relevant disruptive materials and new experimental designs This paper reviews the most prominent spintronic effects described based on theoretical and experimental analysis of antiferromagnetic materials It also details some of the remaining bottlenecks and suggests possible avenues for future research

Antiferromagnetic spintronics

We present a metamaterial that acts as a strongly resonant absorber at terahertz frequencies. Our design consists of a bilayer unit cell which allows for maximization of the absorption through independent tuning of the electrical permittivity and magnetic permeability. An experimental absorptivity of 70% at 1.3 terahertz is demonstrated. We utilize only a single unit cell in the propagation direction, thus achieving an absorption coefficient α=2000 cm-1. These metamaterials are promising candidates as absorbing elements for thermally based THz imaging, due to their relatively low volume, low density, and narrow band response.

A metamaterial absorber for the terahertz regime: Design, fabrication and characterization

This review provides a perspective on the recent developments in the transmission of light through subwavelength apertures in metal films. The main focus is on the phenomenon of extraordinary optical transmission in periodic hole arrays, discovered over a decade ago. It is shown that surface electromagnetic modes play a key role in the emergence of the resonant transmission. These modes are also shown to be at the root of both the enhanced transmission and beaming of light found in single apertures surrounded by periodic corrugations. This review describes both the theoretical and experimental aspects of the subject. For clarity, the physical mechanisms operating in the different structures considered are analyzed within a common theoretical framework. Several applications based on the transmission properties of subwavelength apertures are also addressed.

http://digital.csic.es/bitstream/10261/47904/1/Light%20passing.pdf

Light passing through subwavelength apertures

The ability to detect light over a broad spectral range is central to practical optoelectronic applications and has been successfully demonstrated with photodetectors of two-dimensional layered crystals such as graphene and MoS2. However, polarization sensitivity within such a photodetector remains elusive. Here, we demonstrate a broadband photodetector using a layered black phosphorus transistor that is polarization-sensitive over a bandwidth from ∼400 nm to 3,750 nm. The polarization sensitivity is due to the strong intrinsic linear dichroism, which arises from the in-plane optical anisotropy of this material. In this transistor geometry, a perpendicular built-in electric field induced by gating can spatially separate the photogenerated electrons and holes in the channel, effectively reducing their recombination rate and thus enhancing the performance for linear dichroism photodetection. The use of anisotropic layered black phosphorus in polarization-sensitive photodetection might provide new functionalities in novel optical and optoelectronic device applications. The anisotropic optical properties of black phosphorus can be exploited to fabricate photodetectors with linear dichroism operating over a broad spectral range.

Polarization-sensitive broadband photodetector using a black phosphorus vertical p–n junction

Within the last several years, the field of terahertz science and technology has changed dramatically. Many new advances in the technology for generation, manipulation, and detection of terahertz radiation have revolutionized the field. Much of this interest has been inspired by the promise of valuable new applications for terahertz imaging and sensing. Among a long list of proposed uses, one finds compelling needs such as security screening and quality control, as well as whimsical notions such as counting the almonds in a bar of chocolate. This list has grown in parallel with the development of new technologies and new paradigms for imaging and sensing. Many of these proposed applications exploit the unique capabilities of terahertz radiation to penetrate common packaging materials and provide spectroscopic information about the materials within. Several of the techniques used for terahertz imaging have been borrowed from other, more well established fields such as x-ray computed tomography and synthetic aperture radar. Others have been developed exclusively for the terahertz field, and have no analogies in other portions of the spectrum. This review provides a comprehensive description of the various techniques which have been employed for terahertz image formation, as well as discussing numerous examples which illustrate the many exciting potential uses for these emerging technologies.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0034-4885/70/8/R02/pdf

Imaging with terahertz radiation

Recent development of the terahertz time domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) and its application to solids have been reviewed. This spectroscopy is unique in that the time-domain wave forms are measured at first and the complex optical constants are deduced directly by the Fourier transformation of them without resort to the Kramers-Kronig analysis. Various types of the THz-TDS systems are briefly described. Applications of the THz-TDS to various solids, i.e., semiconductors, superconductors, polymers, photonic crystals, and so on are also presented to demonstrate how widely this spectroscopy is applicable to characterization of solids.

Terahertz Time-Domain Spectroscopy of Solids: A Review

We propose and demonstrate a terahertz (THz) time-domain spectroscopy combined with ellipsometry. The complex optical constants of a Si wafer with low resistivity are deduced from the measurements of the wave forms of reflected s- and p-polarized THz pulses without reference measurement. The obtained dispersion of refractive index above ∼0.2 THz shows good agreement with that predicted by the Drude theory. The complex optical constants deduced by the THz ellipsometry in the low-frequency region are strongly affected by the slight error of the ellipsometric angle originating mainly from the misalignment of the rotation angles of the polarizer and analyzer.

Measurement of complex optical constants of a highly doped Si wafer using terahertz ellipsometry

Spectroscopies using terahertz (THz) radiation excited by ultrashort laser pulses have been rapidly developing recently. In this paper, the principles of various types of THz time domain spectroscopies (THz TDSs), i.e. transmission-, reflection-and ellipsometry-type THz TDSs, and their applications to the characterization of semiconductors are described. In addition to the THz TDS using a femtosecond laser, a sub-THz TDS system using a cheap and compact continuous multimode laser diode is also described.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0957-0233/13/11/309/pdf

Spectroscopy by pulsed terahertz radiation

We report on the observation of terahertz (THz) radiation emitted from antiferromagnetic (AFM) single-crystal nickel oxide irradiated with femtosecond laser pulses. Periodic oscillations observed in the THz waveforms are assigned to the radiation from coherent AFM magnons excited by the laser pulses. Impulsive stimulated Raman scattering process is a possible mechanism of the coherent AFM magnon excitation by the laser pulses. The excited magnons in NiO generate THz waves by magnetic dipole radiation, which is the inverse process of AFM resonance absorption of THz waves.

http://sector7.xray.aps.anl.gov/~wen/ApplPhysLett_96_221906.pdf

Terahertz radiation from coherent antiferromagnetic magnons excited by femtosecond laser pulses

We present a reflection-type terahertz time-domain spectroscopic ellipsometry (THz-TDSE) technique for measuring the complex dielectric constants of thin-film materials without replacement of the sample. THz-TDSE provides complex dielectric constants from the ratio of the complex amplitude reflection coefficients between p- and s-polarized THz waves. The measured dielectric constants of doped GaAs thin films show good agreement with predictions of the Drude model, even though the film thickness is of the order of a tenth of the penetration depth of the THz waves. In addition, we demonstrate the measurements of soft-phonon dispersion in SrTiO(3) thin films deposited on a Pt layer. The obtained dielectric constants agree well with the predictions of a generalized harmonic oscillator model.

Takeshi Nagashima

Papers

Terahertz Time-Domain Spectroscopy of Solids: A Review

Measurement of complex optical constants of a highly doped Si wafer using terahertz ellipsometry

Spectroscopy by pulsed terahertz radiation

Terahertz radiation from coherent antiferromagnetic magnons excited by femtosecond laser pulses

Measurement of the dielectric constant of thin films by terahertz time-domain spectroscopic ellipsometry.