The performance of Schottky diodes as far-infrared modulators

We analyze the performance as a terahertz-frequency modulator of a small-area Schottky diode mounted in a corner-cube antenna. The analysis includes the effects of carrier inertia and dielectric relaxation as modeled by Champlin and Eisenstein (1978). It also includes the effect of the vanishing of the depletion region above the flat-band potential, as modeled by Crowe and Mattauch (1986). Our baseline calculation refers to a 1.4 m diameter diode (Univ. of Virginia batch no. 1E12) operated at a carrier frequency of 2.52 THz and a modulation frequency of 8 GHz, as was used in the experiments of Watson, Grossman, and Phillips (1988). The effects on reflectivity modulation, and therefore on sideband-generation efficiency, of varying the diode parameters are investigated. Our conclusions are: A) For all realistic diode parameters, the phase modulation completely dominates the amplitude modulation. B) Performance is degraded well below the plasma frequency in the undepleted epilayer due to the presence of a second resonance, caused by the interaction of the barrier capacitance and the effective inductance due to carrier inertia, C) The effects of varying the antenna impedance, temperature, diode substrate size, and Schottky barrier height over realistic ranges are small. D) An improvement in single-sideband conversion efficiency of approximately 20 db may be obtained by increasing the epilayer doping and simultaneously reducing the diode radius.     

光温双控太赫兹波调制特性研究

基于多频带金属开口谐振环结构,利用GaAs材料的光敏特性和VO₂薄膜的热致相变特性,设计了一种既能实现光控又能实现温控的太赫兹(Terahertz, THz)波调制器,研究了光强和薄膜温度对 THz波调制特性的影响。结果表明,随着光强的增加,谐振频率均出现蓝移且谐振强度减小,当光强达到0.2 μJ·cm-2时,第二个谐振点(0.52 THz)蓝移了0.14 THz,透射幅度增加达50%;随着VO₂温度增加至相变温度以上,THz波透射幅度急剧减小,在0.63 THz处透射幅度减小达45.5%;当光强和温度同时控制时,随着光强和温度的增加,谐振点频率蓝移且谐振点处的THz波透射幅度增加,但在温度超过相变温度后,则温度控制起主导作用。设计的THz波调制器能通过光控和温控实现对THz波的明显调制效果,可为实现多功能的THz波功能器件的设计及应用提供参考。     

半绝缘等离子体波导太赫兹量子级联激光器工艺研究

采用气态源分子束外延设备生长了GaAs/AlGaAs束缚态到连续态跃迁结构的太赫兹（THz）量子级联激光器（QCL）有源区结构,研究了半绝缘等离子体波导THz QCL的器件工艺,采用远红外傅里叶变换光谱仪以及探测器测量了器件的电光特性.器件激射频率为32 THz,10 K下的阈值电流密度为275 A/cm². 关键词： 太赫兹 量子级联激光器 波导 器件工艺     

Mechanically tunable broadband terahertz modulator based on high-aligned Ni nanowire arrays

We present a mechanically tunable broadband terahertz(THz) modulator based on the high-aligned Ni nanowire(NW)arrays. The modulator is a sandwich structure consisting of two polydimethylsiloxane layers and a central layer of highaligned Ni NW arrays. Our experimental measurements reveal the transmittance of THz wave can be effectively modulated by mechanical stretching. The NW density in arrays increases with the strain increasing, which induced an enhancement in the absorption of THz wave. When the strain increases from 0 to 6.5%, a linear relationship is observed for the variation of modulation depth(MD) of THz wave regarding the strain, and the modulated range is from 0 to 85% in a frequency range from 0.3 THz to 1.8 THz. Moreover, the detectable MD is about 15% regarding the 1% strain change resolution. This flexible Ni NW-based modulator can be promised many applications, such as remote strain sensing, and wearable devices.     

Optically-Pumped Far-Infrared Laser Lines in Hydrazine, Methanol, Heavy Water, and Ammonia: New Laser Lines and Frequency Measurements

A far-infrared laser cavity designed to favor short-wavelength laser lines was used to generate optically-pumped far-infrared laser radiation. New far-infrared laser lines were discovered in hydrazine, heavy water, ammonia, and several short-wavelength lines previously discovered in methanol were observed. Wavelength, frequency, and relative intensity measurements were performed on laser lines in the wavelength range 42.4 to 253.7 m. Each far-infrared frequency measurement was obtained by mixing the far-infrared radiation with radiation from two reference CO₂ lasers and from a microwave synthesizer in a metal-insulator-metal diode. The pump laser was a high-Q Fabry Perot resonator oscillating on 275 grating-selected laser lines including regular, sequence, and hot band lines.     

Nonlinear-optical modulator for high-power fiber lasers

We propose a novel nonlinear-optical fiber modulator for high-power (>1-W) single-mode fiber lasers. The device is based on transferring the amplitude modulation from a low-power signal at the Stokes frequency onto a high-power beam through stimulated Raman scattering. The efficiency and limitations of the Raman modulator when highly Ge-doped fiber is used is considered. An insertion loss of less than 0.4 dB and an extinction ratio of 20 dB are predicted for modulation of a 10-W single-mode Nd-doped fiber laser.     

太赫兹GaAs肖特基混频二极管高频特性分析

在太赫兹波段,存在几种新的高频效应会限制混频二极管的高频特性.应用热电子发射理论和隧道理论,研究了外延层肖特基二极管的高频特性,并以截止频率为品质因数对二极管进行优化设计.研究表明,当二极管工作频率大于等离子频率时,二极管相当于一个电容,失去了混频性能;提高基底掺杂浓度可以减小基底等离子共振效应;外延层等离子频率非常重要并且在研究外延层等离子共振效应时必须考虑传输时间效应;减小阳极直径、减小外延层厚度、提高外延层掺杂浓度可以提高二极管的工作频率.这对太赫兹波段室温混频器件的研制具有重要的参考价值.     

Tunable far-infrared spectroscopy extended to 9.1THz

We synthesized tunable far-infrared radiation at frequencies higher than 9 THz (300 cm (-1)) by mixing CO(2) laser, (15)NH(3) laser, and microwave radiation in a W-Co metal-insulator-metal diode. We used this farinfrared radiation to accurately measure torsion-rotation transitions of CH(3)OH in the 8-9-THz region. We also measured the frequency of the aP(7, 3) (15)NH(3) laser transition.     

intersubband pumping of an : InP symmetric double quantum well terahertz laser

The feasibility of intersubband optical excitation of a terahertz (1–10 THz) or far-infrared (30–300 ) emitter/laser by a laser diode is investigated by means of envelope function/effective mass approximation and subband carrier lifetime calculations. The material system is employed in order to supply the necessary conduction band offset and the basic design is that of a 6-level symmetric double quantum well. This can simultaneously satisfy the criteria of an 800 meV intersubband absorption and a far-infrared emission. It is shown that these device designs can satisfy a necessary criterion for population inversion at room temperature. A scheme for improving the population ratio based on a 9-level triple quantum well is discussed.     

GaAs Schottky devices for submillimeter wavelengths

Conclusion The above analyses assume the absence of excess noise in the Schottky barrier mixer diode. Achievement of such a condition is dependent not only on the absence of interfacial stress in the device structure, but also on device surface properties. Reduction of excess noise caused by these two mechanisms is discussed by Sherrill, et al.,⁽¹⁰⁾ and Kattman, et al.⁽¹¹⁾ Minimum conversion loss in the THz range occurs for mixer diode with the smallest possible junction capacitance. This capacitance can be reduced along with the R_s, C_j(0) product by decreasing the device area and increasing the active layer impurity concentration. It was shown above that this impurity concentration increase will (a) permit higher frequency of operation, (b) cause a lower intrinsic conversion loss, and (c) be responsible for an increase in mixer diode I–V slope parameter, V₀. The only potentially negative effect comes from (c), but the analysis reviewed in the last section shows that an increase in V₀ has a minimal effect on mixer noise temperature for terahertz range operation. Experimental results of Dr. H. P. Röser⁽¹²⁾ to frequencies as high as 2.5 THz are in agreement with these predictions.It is thus concluded on the basis of the above four analyses of device mixer noise temperature and conversion loss that reasonable Schottky barrier mixer diode operation can be expected to at least 10 THz.This work was supported in part by the National Science Foundation under Grant ECS-8412477     

Generation of tunable far-infrared radiation with a quantum cascade laser

We demonstrate the generation of cw tunable far-infrared radiation by mixing a quantum cascade laser and a CO>(2) laser in a W-Ni metal-insulator-metal diode. The first known spectroscopic application to the recording of an H(79)Br transition near 4.47 THz is reported.     

Ultrafast and low-power terahertz wave modulator based on organic photonic crystal

We theoretically investigate the modulation efficiency, response time, and pump power of a terahertz-beam intensity modulator by using an organic photonic crystal slab structure with high quality factor “defect” cavity. The basic operation of an ultrafast low-power terahertz wave modulator actuated by the dynamical shifts of the defect mode induced by pump intensity is discussed in detail. The finite-difference time-domain method is used to verify and analyze the characteristics of the terahertz wave modulator. The device exhibited extinction ratio of 47.15 dB and insertion loss of 3.2 dB at frequency of 1.062 THz with ultrafast response times on the order of several picoseconds.     

A laser frequency lock referenced to a single trapped ion

A frequency lock has been developed which frequency stabilizes a portion of the output from an ultrastable diode laser to the narrow 5s –4d transition at 445 THz (674 nm) of a single, trapped and laser cooled Sr ion. Digital processing is used to record quantum jump data and to servo the frequency applied to an acousto-optic modulator which is used to scan a portion of the laser output across two, symmetrically displaced Zeeman components. Stable locking has been obtained resulting in uncertainties in the ion transition referenced laser frequency of less than 150 Hz.     

Characteristics of a far-infrared molecular laser optically pumped by a high-power CO2 laser

A molecular far-infrared (FIR) laser optically pumped by a high-power CO₂ laser, which is a powerful source for testing detectors and mixers and for FIR spectroscopy, is constructed and the performance is examined through experiments. At frequencies between 580GHz and 4.25THz, FIR output power is more than 2030m W by pumping power of 3581W. Amplitude stability of ±3% is obtained at 100m W output at 2.52THz for over 30 minutes when the FIR tube is cooled at 5°C by a chiller.As an application to testing mixers, FIR laser lines up to 4.25 THz are detected by Schottky barrier diodes (SBD). Further, using a SBD, performance of absolute frequency stability at 693GHz of HCOOH oscillation is measured by harmonic mixing with a 115.5GHz millimeter wave from a phase-locked Gunn oscillator. The resultant center-frequency stability is 100kHz per 10 minutes.     

Injection locking of a diode laser locked to a Zeeman frequency stabilized laser oscillator

We describe the design and performance of an injection-locked diode laser locked to a stabilized, single frequency, unmodulated diode laser. The master oscillator is a grating-tuned, external cavity diode laser which is stabilized on a Doppler free alkali metal resonance transition frequency via Zeeman locking. The master oscillator frequency is shifted by an acousto-optic modulator, which provides optical isolation of the master oscillator laser while tuning of the acousto-optic modulation frequency can also provide frequency offset tuning. The slave laser is a free running diode which is injection-locked by a small fraction of the frequency shifted master oscillator light. Good long- and short-time frequency stability are observed for both the Zeeman-locked master oscillator and the injection-locked slave laser.     

Polarization-independent terahertz wave modulator based on graphene-silicon hybrid structure

In this study, we propose and demonstrate a broadband polarization-independent terahertz modulator based on graphene/silicon hybrid structure through a combination of continuous wave optical illumination and electrical gating.Under a pump power of 400 mW and the voltages ranging from-1.8 V to 1.4 V, modulation depths in a range of-23%–62% are achieved in a frequency range from 0.25 THz to 0.65 THz. The modulator is also found to have a transition from unidirectional modulation to bidirectional modulation with the increase of pump power. Combining the Raman spectra and Schottky current–voltage characteristics of the device, it is found that the large amplitude modulation is ascribed to the electric-field controlled carrier concentration in silicon with assistance of the graphene electrode and Schottky junction.     

玻璃衬底二氧化钒薄膜的宽频带太赫兹波调制特性

针对二氧化钒（VO2）薄膜在可调谐太赫兹功能器件中的应用, 采用磁控溅射法在K9玻璃衬底上制备了VO2薄膜, 并用X射线衍射（XRD）对薄膜的晶相进行表征。利用配备加热装置的太赫兹时域光谱系统（THz-TDS）研究了薄膜样品在变温过程中的THz反射、透射光谱特性及其变化规律。实验结果表明, 随着加热温度的升高, VO2薄膜发生半导体-金属相变并对宽频段THz波产生显著的调制作用。调制深度明显依赖于THz频率, 薄膜样品对THz波反射功率、透射率的幅度调制深度在0.3~0.5 THz范围波动较大;对THz波的透射率在低频处较大, 高频处较小, 调制深度在35%~65%之间变化。该薄膜制备简单, 质量高, 可应用于太赫兹开关和调制器等功能器件。     

New FIR Laser Lines and Frequency Measurements of CD3OD

The isotopomer of methanol, CD₃OD, was optically pumped by a cw CO₂ laser resulting in 53 new far-infrared (FIR) laser lines. The wavelengths are in the range 42.9 m to 189.9 m with the majority below 100 m. Ten different CO₂ lines were used for the first time to pump CD₃OD yielding new FIR laser lines. Some of the CO₂ pump lines belong to the hot-bands and sequence-bands of CO₂ in the 10 m region. The frequency was measured for 40 FIR laser lines in the range 1.5 THz to 6.9 THz, 32 of which were new laser lines.     

A twin optically-pumped far-infrared CH3OH laser for plasma diagnostics

A twin optically-pumped far-infrared CH₃OH laser has been constructed for use in plasma diagnostics. The antisymmetric doublet due to the Raman-type resonant two-photon transition is reproducibly observed at 118.8 m. With the 118.8-m line, it is obtained from the frequency separation of the anti-symmetric doublet that CH₃OH absorption line center is 16±1 MHz higher than the pump 9.7-m P(36) CO₂ laser line center. It is shown that the Raman-type resonant two-photon transition is useful in order to get several-MHz phase modulation for the far-infrared laser interferometer. Some preliminary performances of this twin laser for the modulated interferometer are described.This work was carried out under the collaborating research program at the Institute of Plasma Physics, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464, Japan.     

Femtosecond terahertz radiation from femtoslicing at BESSY

Femtosecond far-infrared radiation pulses in the THz spectral range were observed as a consequence of the energy modulation of 1.7 GeV electrons by femtosecond laser pulses in the BESSY storage ring in order to generate femtosecond x-ray pulses ("femtoslicing"). In addition to being crucial for diagnostics of the laser-electron interaction, the THz radiation itself is useful for experiments where intense ultrashort THz pulses of well-defined temporal and spectral characteristics are required.