Showing papers on "Terahertz radiation published in 2009"

A metamaterial solid-state terahertz phase modulator

Abstract: Using a single layer of electrically controlled metamaterial, researchers have achieved active control of the phase of terahertz waves and demonstrated high-speed broadband modulation.

Negative Refractive Index in Chiral Metamaterials

Abstract: We experimentally demonstrate a chiral metamaterial exhibiting negative refractive index at terahertz frequencies. The presence of strong chirality in the terahertz metamaterial lifts the degeneracy for the two circularly polarized waves and allows for the achievement of negative refractive index without requiring simultaneously negative permittivity and negative permeability. The realization of terahertz chiral negative index metamaterials offers opportunities for investigation of their novel electromagnetic properties, such as negative refraction and negative reflection, as well as important terahertz device applications.

Design, theory, and measurement of a polarization-insensitive absorber for terahertz imaging

Abstract: We present the theory, design, and realization of a polarization-insensitive metamaterial absorber for terahertz frequencies. Effective-medium theory is used to describe the absorptive properties of the metamaterial in terms of optical constants---a description that has been thus far lacking. From our theoretical approach, we construct a device that yields over 95% absorption in simulation. Our fabricated design consists of a planar single unit-cell layer of metamaterial and reaches an absorptivity of 77% at 1.145 THz.

Terahertz field enhancement by a metallic nano slit operating beyond the skin-depth limit

Abstract: The effect of a tiny gap in a metal substrate on incident terahertz radiation in the regime where the gap's dimensions are smaller than the metal's skin-depth are investigated. The results and theoretical analysis show that the gap acts as a capacitor charged by light-induced currents, and dramatically enhances the local electric field.

Wide-angle perfect absorber/thermal emitter in the terahertz regime

Abstract: We show that a perfect absorber/thermal emitter exhibiting an absorption peak of 99.9% can be achieved in metallic nanostructures that can be easily fabricated. The very high absorption is maintained for large angles with a minimal shift in the center frequency and can be tuned throughout the visible and near-infrared regime by scaling the nanostructure dimensions. The stability of the spectral features at high temperatures is tested by simulations using a range of material parameters. Since the beginning of the last century it is known that a perfect thermal emitter follows Planck’s law of blackbody radiation. 1 Realistic structures, however, generally do not follow Planck’s law but exhibit a smaller emission. The properties of these emitters strongly depend on the materials and their shapes. From the absorption spectra of a structure the emission properties can be deduced since Kirchhoff’s law directly relates the absorption with the emissivity. The emission is then determined by multiplying the emissivity with the blackbody radiation spectrum. Using photonic crystals, 2,3 it has been shown that this approach is also valid for periodically structured materials. For a number of applications such as thermophotovoltaic converters, it is necessary to control the spectral properties to achieve, e.g., selective emitters in a narrow frequency band corresponding to the band gap of solar cells. 4 In the case of structured metallic surfaces, the changes in the emission spectra are based on surface waves coupled to the external radiation through the periodic surface. 5,6 Alternatively, microcavity resonances can also be used to create narrow-band thermal radiation. 7 Unfortunately, most of the recent designs 6,8 for perfect absorbers/ emitters only work for one incident angle and one polarization. So, there is a need for wide-angle perfect absorber/ emitter nanostructures. In this Brief Report, we suggest a structure which exhibits a large absorption in the terahertz regime for a wide range of angles with respect to the surface. We show that the absorption characteristics are maintained even if the uncertainties in the estimated changes in the material parameters, due to high temperatures, are considered. The proposed structure can be easily manufactured with today’s planar microfabrication techniques. We also comment on the impact of deviations in the geometrical parameters caused by fabricational tolerances. The small size of the structure, in comparison to the wavelength together with the relatively straightforward fabrication, allows for easy integration into various devices, such as perfect thermal emitters, perfect absorbers, bolometers, and very effective light extraction light-emitting diodes LEDs. The suggested structure is shown in Fig. 1. It consists of a metal back plate black with a thickness larger than 200 nm. This is much larger than the typical skin depth in the terahertz regime and avoids transmission through the structure. In this case the reflection is the only factor limiting the absorption. The thickness of the back plate can be adjusted to the specific needs of the final application, e.g., to obtain good heat transport to sensors or to obtain a better stability. On top of the metal plate a spacer layer of silicon nitride SiN is deposited with a thickness Dt. The structure is terminated by an array of metallic stripes with a rectangular cross section. Their arrangement is described by a lattice constant a and their shape is given by a width Ww and a thickness Wt. In this setup a strong resonance with a large field enhancement in the dielectric spacer layer and in between the stripes can be obtained, as will be shown later. Adjusting the size of the metal stripes on the top, the coupling to this resonance can be tuned and the reflection can be minimized. Due to the scalability of Maxwell’s equations, in principle, the structure can be simulated using dimensionless units by dividing all sizes by the lattice constant and using =a / as frequency. However, the Drude model used to describe the metal requires frequencies in terahertz and therefore the lattice constant must be assigned in the simulation. If a shift in the frequencies of the spectral features by adjusting the lattice constant is intended, a different simulation must be done since changes in the dielectric constant would not be considered. In the simulation frequency-dependent material parameters are required. We calculate those using standard methods and adjust their values to take into consideration the high temperatures. The tungsten parts plate and stripes are described by a Drude model

Reconfigurable Terahertz Metamaterials

Abstract: We demonstrate reconfigurable anisotropic metamaterials at terahertz frequencies where artificial "atoms" reorient within unit cells in response to an external stimulus. This is accomplished by fabricating planar arrays of split ring resonators on bimaterial cantilevers designed to bend out of plane in response to a thermal stimulus. We observe a marked tunability of the electric and magnetic response as the split ring resonators reorient within their unit cells. Our results demonstrate that adaptive metamaterials offer significant potential to realize novel electromagnetic functionality ranging from thermal detection to reconfigurable cloaks or absorbers.

Dual band terahertz metamaterial absorber: Design, fabrication, and characterization

Abstract: We report the design, simulation, and measurement of a dual-band metamaterial absorber in the terahertz region. Theoretical and experimental results show that the absorber has two distinct and strong absorption points near 0.45 and 0.92 THz, both which are related to the LC resonance of the metamaterial. The distributions of the power flow and the power loss indicate that the absorber is an excellent electromagnetic wave collector: the wave is first trapped and reinforced in certain specific locations and then completely consumed. This dual-band absorber has applications in many scientific and technological areas.

Bendable, low-loss Topas fibers for the terahertz frequency range

Abstract: We report on a new class of polymer photonic crystal fibers for low-loss guidance of THz radiation. The use of the cyclic olefin copolymer Topas, in combination with advanced fabrication technology, results in bendable THz fibers with unprecedented low loss and low material dispersion in the THz regime.We demonstrate experimentally how the dispersion may be engineered by fabricating both high- and low-dispersion fibers with zero-dispersion frequency in the regime 0.5-0.6 THz. Near-field, frequencyresolved characterization with high spatial resolution of the amplitude and phase of the modal structure proves that the fiber is single-moded over a wide frequency range, and we see the onset of higher-order modes at high frequencies as well as indication of microporous guiding at low frequencies and high porosity of the fiber. Transmission spectroscopy demonstrates low-loss propagation (< 0.1 dB/cm loss at 0.6 THz) over a wide frequency range.

A 0.65 THz Focal-Plane Array in a Quarter-Micron CMOS Process Technology

Abstract: A focal-plane array (FPA) for room-temperature detection of 0.65-THz radiation has been fully integrated in a low-cost 0.25 mum CMOS process technology. The circuit architecture is based on the principle of distributed resistive self-mixing and facilitates broadband direct detection well beyond the cutoff frequency of the technology. The 3 timesZ 5 pixel array consists of differential on-chip patch antennas, NMOS direct detectors, and integrated 43-dB voltage amplifiers. At 0.65 THz the FPA achieves a responsivity (Rv) of 80 kV/W and a noise equivalent power (NEP) of 300 pW/ radic{Hz}. Active multi-pixel imaging of postal envelopes demonstrates the FPAs potential for future cost-effective terahertz imaging solutions.

Coupling between a dark and a bright eigenmode in a terahertz metamaterial

Abstract: Terahertz time domain spectroscopy and rigorous simulations are used to probe the coupling between a dark and a bright plasmonic eigenmode in a metamaterial with broken symmetry. The metamaterial consists of two closely spaced split ring resonators that have their gaps in nonidentical positions within the ring. For normal incidence and a fixed polarization both lowest-order eigenmodes of the split ring resonators can be excited, although one of them has to be regarded as dark since coupling is prohibited because of symmetry constraints. Emphasis in this work is put on a systematic evaluation of the coupling effects depending on a spectral tuning of both resonances.

186 K Operation of Terahertz Quantum-Cascade Lasers Based on a Diagonal Design

Abstract: Resonant-phonon terahertz quantum-cascade lasers operating up to a heat-sink temperature of 186 K are demonstrated. This record temperature performance is achieved based on a diagonal design, with the objective to increase the upper-state lifetime and therefore the gain at elevated temperatures. The increased diagonality also lowers the operating current densities by limiting the flow of parasitic leakage current. Quantitatively, the diagonality is characterized by a radiative oscillator strength that is smaller by a factor of two from the least of any previously published designs. At the lasing frequency of 3.9 THz, 63 mW of peak optical power was measured at 5 K, and approximately 5 mW could still be detected at 180 K.

Analogue of electromagnetically induced transparency in a terahertz metamaterial

Abstract: We experimentally demonstrate at terahertz frequencies that a planar metamaterial exhibits a spectral response resembling electromagnetically induced transparency. The metamaterial unit cell consists of a split ring surrounded by another closed ring where their dimensions are such that their excitable lowest order modes have identical resonance frequencies but very different lifetimes. Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy verifies that the interference of these two resonances results in a narrow transparency window located within a broad opaque region. In contrast to previous studies this enhanced transmission is achieved by independently exciting two resonances in which their coupling to the radiation field, and thus their linewidth, differs strongly. Rigorous numerical simulations prove that the transparency window is associated with a large group index and low losses, making the design potentially useful for slow light applications. This experiment opens an avenue to explore quantum-mechanical phenomena using localized resonances in metallic structures.

Terahertz metamaterial with asymmetric transmission

Abstract: We show that a planar metamaterial, an array of coupled metal split-ring resonators with a unit cell lacking mirror symmetry, exhibits asymmetric transmission of terahertz radiation (0.25--2.5 THz) propagating through it in opposite directions. This intriguing effect, that is compatible with Lorentz reciprocity and time reversal, depends on a directional difference in conversion efficiency of the incident circularly polarized wave into one of opposite handedness, that is only possible in lossy low-symmetry planar chiral metamaterials. We show that asymmetric transmission is linked to excitation of enantiomerically sensitive plasmons, these are induced charge-field excitations that depend on the mutual handedness of incident wave and metamaterial pattern. Various bands of positive, negative and zero phase and group velocities have been identified indicating the opportunity to develop polarization sensitive negative index and slow light media based on such metamaterials.

A spatial light modulator for terahertz beams

Abstract: We design and implement a multipixel spatial modulator for terahertz beams using active terahertz metamaterials. Our first-generation device consists of a 4×4 pixel array, where each pixel is an array of subwavelength-sized split-ring resonator elements fabricated on a semiconductor substrate, and is independently controlled by applying an external voltage. Through terahertz transmission experiments, we show that the spatial modulator has a uniform modulation depth of around 40% across all pixels, and negligible crosstalk, at the resonant frequency. This device can operate under small voltage levels, at room temperature, with low power consumption and reasonably high switching speed.

Rational design of high-responsivity detectors of terahertz radiation based on distributed self-mixing in silicon field-effect transistors

Abstract: In search of novel detectors of electromagnetic radiation at terahertz frequencies, field-effect transistors (FETs) have recently gained much attention. The current literature studies them with respect to the excitation of plasma waves in the two-dimensional channel. Circuit aspects have been taken into account only to a limited degree. In this paper, we focus on embedding silicon FETs in a proper circuitry to optimize their responsivity to terahertz radiation. This includes impedance-matched antenna coupling and amplification of the rectified signal. Special attention is given to the investigation of high-frequency short-circuiting of the gate and drain contacts by a capacitive shunt, a common approach of high-frequency electronics to induce resistive mixing in transistors. We theoretically study the effect of shunting in the framework of the Dyakonov–Shur plasma-wave theory, with the following key results. In the quasistatic limit, the capacitive shunt induces the longitudinal high-frequency field neede...

Metamaterials in the Terahertz Regime

Abstract: Metamaterials are artificial composites that acquire their electromagnetic properties from embedded subwavelength metallic structures. In theory, the effective electromagnetic properties of metamaterials at any frequency can be engineered to take on arbitrary values, including those not appearing in nature. As a result, this new class of materials can dramatically add a degree of freedom to the control of electromagnetic waves. The emergence of metamaterials fortunately coincides with the intense emerging interest in terahertz radiation (T-rays), for which efficient forms of electromagnetic manipulation are sought. Considering the scarcity of naturally existing materials that can control terahertz, metamaterials become ideal substitutes that promise advances in terahertz research. Ultimately, terahertz metamaterials will lead to scientific and technological advantages in a number of areas. This article covers the principles of metamaterials and reviews the latest trends in terahertz metamaterial research from the fabrication and characterization to the implementation.

Coherent Polarization Control of Terahertz Waves Generated from Two-Color Laser-Induced Gas Plasma

Abstract: Electrons ionized from an atom or molecule by circularly or elliptically polarized femtosecond omega and 2omega pulses exhibit different trajectory orientations as the relative phase between the two pulses changes. Macroscopically, the polarization of the terahertz wave emitted during the ionization process was found to be coherently controllable through the optical phase. This new finding can be completely reproduced by numerical simulation and may enable fast terahertz wave modulation and coherent control of nonlinear responses excited by intense terahertz waves with controllable polarization.

Electrically pumped photonic-crystal terahertz lasers controlled by boundary conditions

Abstract: Semiconductor lasers based on two-dimensional photonic crystals generally rely on an optically pumped central area, surrounded by un-pumped, and therefore absorbing, regions. This ideal configuration is lost when photonic-crystal lasers are electrically pumped, which is practically more attractive as an external laser source is not required. In this case, in order to avoid lateral spreading of the electrical current, the device active area must be physically defined by appropriate semiconductor processing. This creates an abrupt change in the complex dielectric constant at the device boundaries, especially in the case of lasers operating in the far-infrared, where the large emission wavelengths impose device thicknesses of several micrometres. Here we show that such abrupt boundary conditions can dramatically influence the operation of electrically pumped photonic-crystal lasers. By demonstrating a general technique to implement reflecting or absorbing boundaries, we produce evidence that whispering-gallery-like modes or true photonic-crystal states can be alternatively excited. We illustrate the power of this technique by fabricating photonic-crystal terahertz (THz) semiconductor lasers, where the photonic crystal is implemented via the sole patterning of the device top metallization. Single-mode laser action is obtained in the 2.55-2.88 THz range, and the emission far field exhibits a small angular divergence, thus providing a solution for the quasi-total lack of directionality typical of THz semiconductor lasers based on metal-metal waveguides.

Single-shot terahertz-field-driven X-ray streak camera

Abstract: A few-femtosecond X-ray streak camera has been realized using a pump–probe scheme that samples the transient response of matter to ionizing soft X-ray radiation in the presence of an intense synchronized terahertz field. Borrowing its concept from attosecond metrology, the femtosecond X-ray streak camera fills the gap between conventional streak cameras with typical resolutions of hundreds of femtoseconds and streaking techniques operating in the sub-femtosecond regime. Its single-shot capability permits the duration and time structure of individual X-ray pulses to be determined. For several classes of experiments in time-resolved spectroscopy, diffraction or imaging envisaged with novel accelerator- and laser-based short-pulse X-ray sources this knowledge is essential, but represents a major challenge to X-ray metrology. Here we report on the single-shot characterization of soft X-ray pulses from the free-electron laser facility FLASH. A streak camera for characterizing the ultrashort X-ray pulses produced by a free-electron laser is reported. The scheme has a single-shot capability, a resolution of a few femtoseconds and is expected to become a useful tool for X-ray metrology, including experiments involving time-resolved spectroscopy and imaging.

Beam Echo Effect for Generation of Short-Wavelength Radiation

Abstract: The Echo-Enabled Harmonic Generation (EEHG) FEL uses two modulators in combination with two dispersion sections to generate a high-harmonic density modulation starting with a relatively small initial energy modulation of the beam. After presenting the concept of the EEHG, we address several practically important issues, such as the effect of coherent and incoherent synchrotron radiation in the dispersion sections. Using a representative realistic set of beam parameters, we show how the EEHG scheme enhances the FEL performance and allows one to generate a fully (both longitudinally and transversely) coherent radiation. We then discuss application of the echo modulation for generation of attosecond pulses of radiation, and also using echo for generation of terahertz radiation. We present main parameters of a proof-of-principle experiment currently being planned at SLAC for demonstration of the echo modulation mechanism.

Field Effect Transistors for Terahertz Detection: Physics and First Imaging Applications

Abstract: Resonant frequencies of the two-dimensional plasma in FETs increase with the reduction of the channel dimensions and can reach the THz range for sub-micron gate lengths. Nonlinear properties of the electron plasma in the transistor channel can be used for the detection and mixing of THz frequencies. At cryogenic temperatures resonant and gate voltage tunable detection related to plasma waves resonances, is observed. At room temperature, when plasma oscillations are overdamped, the FET can operate as an efficient broadband THz detector. We present the main theoretical and experimental results on THz detection by FETs in the context of their possible application for THz imaging.

Carrier lifetime and mobility enhancement in nearly defect-free core-shell nanowires measured using time-resolved terahertz spectroscopy.

Abstract: We have used transient terahertz photoconductivity measurements to assess the efficacy of two-temperature growth and core-shell encapsulation techniques on the electronic properties of GaAs nanowires. We demonstrate that two-temperature growth of the GaAs core leads to an almost doubling in charge-carrier mobility and a tripling of carrier lifetime. In addition, overcoating the GaAs core with a larger-bandgap material is shown to reduce the density of surface traps by 82%, thereby enhancing the charge conductivity.

Dynamics of Imidazolium Ionic Liquids from a Combined Dielectric Relaxation and Optical Kerr Effect Study: Evidence for Mesoscopic Aggregation

Abstract: We have measured the intermolecular dynamics of the 1,3-dialkylimidazolium-based room-temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) [emim][BF4], [emim][DCA], and [bmim][DCA] at 25 °C from below 1 GHz to 10 THz by ultrafast optical Kerr effect (OKE) spectroscopy and dielectric relaxation spectroscopy (DRS) augmented by time-domain terahertz and far-infrared FTIR spectroscopy. This concerted approach allows a more detailed analysis to be made of the relatively featureless terahertz region, where the higher frequency diffusional modes are strongly overlapped with librations and intermolecular vibrations. Of greatest interest though, is an intense low frequency (sub-α) relaxation that we show is in accordance with recent simulations that have reported mesoscopic structure arising from aggregates or clusters—structure that explains the anomalous and inconveniently high viscosities of these liquids.

Carbon Nanotube Terahertz Polarizer

Abstract: We describe a film of highly aligned single-walled carbon nanotubes that acts as an excellent terahertz linear polarizer. There is virtually no attenuation (strong absorption) when the terahertz polarization is perpendicular (parallel) to the nanotube axis. From the data, the reduced linear dichrosim was calculated to be 3, corresponding to a nematic order parameter of 1, which demonstrates nearly perfect alignment as well as intrinsically anisotropic terahertz response of single-walled carbon nanotubes in the film.

"Rainbow" trapping and releasing at telecommunication wavelengths.

Abstract: The reported "trapped rainbow" storage of THz light in metamaterials and plasmonic graded structures has opened an attractive new method to control electromagnetic radiation Here, we show how, by incorporating the frequency-dependent dielectric properties of the metal, the graded grating structures developed for "trapped rainbow" storage of THz light in mum level can be scaled to nm level for telecommunication waves for applications in optical communication and various nanophotonic circuits

Field Effect Transistors for Terahertz Detection: Physics and First Imaging Applications

Abstract: Resonant frequencies of the two-dimensional plasma in FETs increase with the reduction of the channel dimensions and can reach the THz range for sub-micron gate lengths. Nonlinear properties of the electron plasma in the transistor channel can be used for the detection and mixing of THz frequencies. At cryogenic temperatures resonant and gate voltage tunable detection related to plasma waves resonances is observed. At room temperature, when plasma oscillations are overdamped, the FET can operate as an efficient broadband THz detector. We present the main theoretical and experimental results on THz detection by FETs in the context of their possible application for THz imaging.

Strong nonlinear optical response of graphene in the terahertz regime

Abstract: We demonstrate that within the model of massless Dirac fermions, graphene has a strong nonlinear optical response in the terahertz regime. It is found that the nonlinear contribution significantly alters both the single frequency and frequency tripled optical response at experimentally relevant field strengths. The optical activity of single layer graphene is significantly enhanced by nonlinear effects, and the frequency tripled response opens the gateway to photonic and optoelectronic device applications.

Low-divergence single-mode terahertz quantum cascade laser

Abstract: The operation of quantum cascade lasers has to date been demonstrated over a broad frequency range in the terahertz spectrum (from 4.4 THz to 1.2 THz)1,2,3. Most potential applications of terahertz quantum cascade lasers require a source that has an excellent spatial and spectral control of the radiated emission4,5,6,7. Here, we present a distributed feedback design of a double-metal waveguide quantum cascade laser8,9,10 that features a grating resonant with the third-order Bragg condition. We show that an improvement of the extraction efficiency results in control of the laser emission wavelength and enhanced output power. Moreover, the grating can act as an array of phased linear sources, reshaping the typical wide and patterned far-field of double-metal waveguides into a narrow beam of ∼10° divergence. A terahertz quantum cascade laser that uses a grating etched into a double-metal waveguide to greatly improve the laser's performance is reported. The grating enhances the laser's optical power extraction and provides control over its emission wavelength and beam quality, yielding a single-mode beam that has a divergence of less than 10 degrees in both axes and a power of up to 15 mW.

Large-orbit gyrotron operation in the terahertz frequency range.

Abstract: Coherent terahertz high-harmonic radiation has been obtained in a gyrotron with an axis-encircling electron beam. An electron-optical system with a cusp gun and a following drift section of adiabatic magnetic compression with an area factor of 3000 provides the formation of an $80\mathrm{\text{\ensuremath{-}}}\mathrm{keV}/0.7\mathrm{\text{\ensuremath{-}}}\mathrm{A}$ beam of gyrating electrons in a wide range of voltages and magnetic fields. Stable single-mode generation with a power of 0.3--1.8 kW in microsecond pulses is detected at four frequencies in the range 0.55--1.00 THz at resonant magnetic fields 10.5--14 T.

Broadband electromagnetic response and ultrafast dynamics of few-layer epitaxial graphene

Abstract: We study the broadband optical conductivity and ultrafast carrier dynamics of epitaxial graphene in the few-layer limit Equilibrium spectra of nominally buffer, monolayer, and multilayer graphene exhibit significant terahertz and near-infrared absorption, consistent with a model of intra- and interband transitions in a dense Dirac electron plasma Non-equilibrium terahertz transmission changes after photoexcitation are shown to be dominated by excess hole carriers, with a 12-ps mono-exponential decay that refects the minority-carrier recombination time