Optical control over surface-plasmon-polariton-assisted THz transmission through a slit aperture

We demonstrate optical control over the transmission of terahertz (THz) radiation through a single subwavelength slit in an otherwise opaque silicon wafer. The addition of periodic corrugation on each side of the wafer allows coupling to surface plasmon polaritons, so that light not impinging directly on the slit can contribute to the transmission. A significant enhancement of the THz transmission can be achieved through control of the surface wave propagation length by excitation at optical wavelengths. The observed transmission increase is in distinct contrast to the reduction reported for photoexcitation of arrays of holes in semiconductors.     

环状烯烃聚合物基底材料的太赫兹复介电常数和损耗特性研究

太赫兹时域光谱(THz-TDS)已被用于研究包括液体,半导体,爆炸物和气体等多种材料。然而自由空间太赫兹光谱系统存在着一些检测局限性,如微量物质难以被检测、系统尺寸难以实现微型化、空气中水的强烈吸收引起的信号衰减较大等问题。为了解决这些问题,研究人员设计了基于金属波导传输线结构的太赫兹芯片集成器件,通过飞秒红外激光激励传输线上的光电导材料实现太赫兹波的产生和检测。然而,在这些芯片上传输的太赫兹信号的频谱宽度很难达到自由空间太赫兹时域光谱系统的频带宽度,一个重要原因是由于传输信号受到随频率增加的传输线损耗所导致的衰减。通常这些损耗主要由三个部分组成：导体损耗,介电损耗和辐射损耗。研究表明：使用低介电常数材料作为共面传输线的衬底,将减少这种介电常数的失配,从而避免冲击波辐射损失;使用具有低损耗角正切的基底材料可以减少太赫兹传输线的损耗。环烯烃聚合物(COP)是一种具有环状烯烃结构的非晶性透明共聚物的材料,在太赫兹波段具有很高的透射率,为了探究这种材料是否能用于共面传输线的衬底,需要通过太赫兹时域光谱技术和介电函数理论分析它在太赫兹频段的光谱和介电特性,以及对这种材料作为基底时用在太赫兹传输线的传输特性进行仿真计算分析。使用透射式太赫兹时域光谱系统,对三种COP、熔融石英和PMMA进行了光谱测试,提取了它们的透射时域信号,采用Dorney和Duvillaret等提出的物理模型计算复介电函数。实验表明：与其他两种材料相比,COP材料在1 THz处的透过率更高,可以达到94.5%,同时介电损耗和介电常数更低,其中介电损耗在1 THz处达到4.31×10-4,因此将COP作为传输线基底材料时能有效减少基底的介电损耗。同时COP材料的介电常数在0.2～2.8 THz范围内维持在约2.3的水平,也有效减弱了辐射损耗。对实验材料基底组成的共面波导传输线进行了HFSS模拟,获得了它们的正向传输衰减系数(S₂₁ parameter),并对由基底引起的介电损耗和辐射损耗进行了计算分析。模拟和计算结果也表明在同一传输线结构下,与其他材料相比COP作为基底时的损耗更小。通过太赫兹时域光谱法与介电响应分析,表明了在太赫兹波段具有较低介电常数的COP材料更适合作为太赫兹传输线结构的基底材料,它可以有效的降低因基底引起的介电损耗和辐射损耗。这为太赫兹传输线的设计过程中衬底材料的选择与应用提供了实验和理论依据。     

Generation of terahertz radiation in high-quality diamond samples

A method is proposed for generating terahertz radiation by producing a spectrally limited population inversion between light- and heavy-hole subbands in the valence band of semiconductors. This inversion is achieved by placing a sample in a static magnetic field and pumping it with an alternating electric field resonant with a cyclotron frequency of heavy holes. At a sufficiently low concentration of holes when the energy exchange between them is less effective than the exchange with the lattice, a considerable heating of heavy holes occurs with a nearly constant distribution function of light holes. However, the low hole concentration leads to a small terahertz field gain that can exceed the field loss only in high-quality diamond samples that are almost transparent in the terahertz range. An important advantage of this method for generating terahertz radiation over the previously proposed techniques is the possibility of implementing it at room temperature, which substantially increases its attractiveness, especially for use in biology and medicine.     

Time-domain differentiation of terahertz pulses

We report on the time-domain differentiation of light waves by metallic transmission gratings. Time-resolved terahertz experiments show that the first time derivative of an arbitrary waveform can be achieved by use of gratings of subwavelength period. The results are in accord with classical diffraction theory and may permit novel applications for tailoring few-cycle light pulses and ultrahigh-frequency optoelectronics.     

Balance-equation approach to terahertz-field-driven magnetotransport in semiconductors

We investigate the magnetotransport in semiconductors under the influence of a dc or slowly-varying electric field, an intense polarized radiation field of terahertz frequency, and a uniform magnetic field, being in arbitrary directions and having arbitrary strengths. Effective force- and energy-balance equations are derived by using a gauge that the magnetic field and the high-frequency radiation field are described by a vector potential and the dc or slowly-varying field by a scalar potential, and by distinguishing the slowly-varying velocity from the rapidly-oscillating velocity related to the high-frequency field. These equations, which include the elastic photon process and all orders of multiphoton absorption and emission processes, are applied to the examination of the effect of a terahertz radiation on the magnetophonon resonance of the longitudinal resistivity in the transverse configuration in nonpolar and polar semiconductors. We find that the previous zero-photon resonance peaks are suppressed by the irradiation of the terahertz field, while many new peaks, which may be related to multiphoton absorption and emission processes, emerge and can become quite distinct, at moderately strong radiation field. Received 17 May 1999     

Terahertz electromagnetic radiation from quantum wells

The observation of terahertz electromagnetic dipole radiation from quantum well structures has finally proven the existence of charge oscillations in semiconductors associated with wave packet dynamics. This article closely examines the physics behind the emission of terahertz electromagnetic radiation from excitonic charge oscillations in such quantum well structures, points out similarities and differences between the various generation schemes, and discusses the various relaxation mechanisms involved. Finally, we show how both amplitude and phase of charge oscillations and the corresponding terahertz emission can be manipulated using phase-locked optical pulses.     

亚波长分形结构太赫兹透射增强的机理研究

利用太赫兹时域光谱(terahertz time domain spectroscopy,简称THz-TDS),研究了亚波长金属分形结构在THz波段的透射增强特性.分别从实验和理论两个方面,研究了铜箔上各级分形结构THz透射增强现象的产生机理.结果表明,在低频区的透射增强主要是由低级分形线中电子运动的共振引起的,而高频区的透射增强则主要由高级分形线中电子运动的共振引起的.从而将这种透射增强效应归结为分形结构中电子的共振辐射,即分形结构的局域共振效应. 关键词： 分形 太赫兹 透射 共振峰     

Making structured metals transparent for ultrabroadband electromagnetic waves and acoustic waves

In this review, we present our recent work on making structured metals transparent for broadband electromagnetic waves and acoustic waves via excitation of surface waves. First, we theoretically show that one-dimensional metallic gratings can become transparent and completely antireflective for extremely broadband electromagnetic waves by relying on surface plasmons or spoof surface plasmons. Second, we experimentally demonstrate that metallic gratings with narrow slits are highly transparent for broadband terahertz waves at oblique incidence and high transmission efficiency is insensitive to the metal thickness. Further, we significantly develop oblique metal gratings transparent for broadband electromagnetic waves (including optical waves and terahertz ones) under normal incidence. In the third, we find the principles of broadband transparency for structured metals can be extended from one-dimensional metallic gratings to two-dimensional cases. Moreover, similar phenomena are found in sonic artificially metallic structures, which present the transparency for broadband acoustic waves. These investigations provide guidelines to develop many novel materials and devices, such as transparent conducting panels, antireflective solar cells, and other broadband metamaterials and stealth technologies.     

Band gaps in the spectra of terahertz surface plasmons on metallic diffraction gratings

The effect of the appearance of band gaps in the energy spectra of terahertz surface plasmons has been experimentally observed and investigated. The band gaps are formed due to the interference interaction of the surface plasmons excited by pulsed terahertz radiation on metallic diffraction gratings. It has been shown that the experimental dispersion curves of terahertz plasmons are in good agreement with the dispersion curves obtained in the numerical simulation.     

Tunable terahertz radiation from arbitrary profile dielectric grating coated with graphene excited by an electron beam

In this paper, the enhanced terahertz radiation transformed from surface plasmon polaritons, excited by a uniformly moving electron bunch, in a structure consisting of a monolayer graphene supported on a dielectric grating with arbitrary profile is investigated. The results show that the grating profile has significant influence on the dispersion curves and radiation characteristics including radiation frequency and intensity. The dependence of dispersion and radiation characteristics on the grating shape for both the symmetric and asymmetric gratings is studied in detail. Moreover, we find that, for an asymmetric grating with certain profile, there exist two different diffraction types, and one of the two types can provide higher radiation intensity comparing to the other one. These results will definitely facilitate the practical application in developing a room-temperature, tunable, coherent and miniature terahertz radiation source.     

Extraordinary terahertz transmission through subwavelength spindle-like apertures in NbN film

We studied numerically the temperature dependent extraordinary terahertz transmission through niobium nitride(NbN) film perforated with subwavelength spindle-like apertures. Both the resonant frequency and intensity of extraordinary terahertz transmission peaks can be greatly modified by the transition of NbN film from the normal state to the superconducting state. An enhancement of the(±1, 0) NbN/magnesium oxide(MgO) peak intensity as high as 200% is demonstrated due to the combined contribution of both the superconducting transition and the excitation of localized surface plasmons(LSPs) around the apertures. The extraordinary terahertz transmission through spindle-like hole arrays patterned on the NbN film can pave the way for us to explore novel active tuning devices.     

Broadband Terahertz Polarization Converter and Asymmetric Transmission Based on Coupled Dielectric‐Metal Grating

Coupled dielectric‐metal gratings are investigated for broadband terahertz (THz) wave polarization conversion and asymmetric transmission by the experiments and numerical simulations, which are composed of the subwavelength Si grating and metallic wire grating layers. The dielectric grating layer with a large artificial birefringence and low dispersion is employed as a phase engineered waveplate, and the metal wire grating arranged with a 45° angle to the dielectric grating is utilized as a high‐efficiency polarizer. Due to the subwavelength integration, this coupled grating presents a local resonance coupling mechanism between dielectric and metal gratings, which greatly enhances the polarization rotation and expands the bandwidth, not a simple combination with dielectric and metallic gratings. The results demonstrate that a broadband asymmetric transmission with an extinction ratio of 30dB from 0.2 to 1.2 THz is achieved and the highest transmission of 90% can be obtained. It provides a simple way towards practical applications for THz artificial dispersion materials, polarization control and asymmetric transmission.     

高温等离子体中太赫兹波的传输特性

通过解析方法研究了高温等离子体的太赫兹波传输特性.研究发现,高温等离子体对太赫兹波高频频段透过率较高,表现为通带;对低频频段透过率较低,表现为阻带.这与冷等离子体中电磁波的传输特性是一致的.但其透射率还受到温度与磁场的影响,当改变高温等离子体的电子温度与磁场时,在阻带内会产生一尖锐的透射峰.这种现象在冷等离子体模型中从来没有出现过.本文主要对电子温度和外加磁场两个影响因素进行讨论.研究发现,禁带内出现的透射峰频率受磁场影响,而峰值幅度受温度影响.计算得到了不同外加磁场条件下产生高透过率(透射率约为1)时的电子温度.基于该结果进一步研究了透射峰出现的规律,并通过曲线拟合的方法得到了透射峰频率所遵循的计算公式.数值结果表明透射峰频率与外磁场之间为正比例函数关系,而峰值电子温度取值与外磁场的关系表现为指数规律.最后对拟合得到的方程采用时域有限差分法进行了验证,数值结果与解析解符合较好,证明了该研究的正确性.     

牙本质龋的太赫兹成像研究

牙本质龋与牙髓感染状态及活力密切相关,龋损深度则决定临床治疗方案,但目前牙本质龋的检测及诊断方法如：视诊、探诊容易受到主观因素影响;X线辅助检查对龋病灵敏度低等,都有一定缺陷,可靠性及有效性仍有待提高。太赫兹时域光谱可以利用不同的物理参数成像,在牙本质龋在体、无损检测方面有较大应用潜力。为探索牙本质龋损的太赫兹光谱图像开展本研究。实验通过搭建透射、反射式扫描太赫兹平台,对15枚含牙本质龋离体牙磨片扫描,通过数据二维重构,获得了不同参数的太赫兹透射和反射图像,再将太赫兹图像与实验室研究龋病的光镜图像与X线图像对比、拟合并进行光镜下、太赫兹图像下龋损面积评价。结果表明：太赫兹图像与光镜图像相符,较X线图像灵敏度更高。反射模式下由于太赫兹反射信号较弱,使得样品厚度,表面粗糙程度以及系统噪声对实验结果影响较大,图像仅能辨识样本轮廓,不能用于区分牙釉质、牙本质及牙本质龋。透射模式下的频域1.4 THz相位差成像、时域信号最小值对应的时间成像都能区分牙釉质,牙本质和牙本质龋,可以用来鉴别三者,其中最小值对应的时间成像效果最佳。对光镜下测得牙本质龋损面积与太赫兹透射模式下的时域信号最小值对应的时间图像测得的牙本质龋损面积进行配对样本Wilcoxon符号秩和检验,结果（p＞0.05）尚不能认为两种方法测得的牙本质龋损面积有差别,两种方法测量的差值源于系统误差。故可以认为通过太赫兹透射模式下的时域信号最小值对应的时间图像获得牙本质龋损范围、大小等诊断信息。研究表明太赫兹成像技术可以为牙本质龋的早期诊断提供更为精确有效且无电离辐射的诊断方法,为临床数字化、微创去龋提供一定形态学依据。     

Optically controlled terahertz beam steering and imaging

We propose a spatial modulator for terahertz waves based on light induced electron plasma in photo-active semiconductors. A two-dimensional array of computer controlled light is used to create free carries in bulk silicon, which results in a spatial modulation of the transmission at terahertz frequencies. This method not only exhibits a remarkable modulation depth over a broad frequency range but also allows for an optically controlled beam steering of terahertz waves by inducing virtual grating structures. In addition, we analyze the possibility of all-optically controlled terahertz imaging.     

不同抽运光强激发窄带隙半导体产生太赫兹辐射的研究

研究了窄带隙材料InAs和三种不同掺杂浓度的InN在不同抽运光强激发下产生太赫兹(THz)波的辐射特性.实验结果表明:在相同的抽运光强下,InN和InAs辐射的THz信号强度在同一量级,InAs较InN辐射效率要高一些.随着抽运光强的增大,这几种材料的发射光谱变得更宽,当抽运光增大到一定强度时,它们的发射光谱半极大值全宽(HMFW)趋于恒定.InN比InAs更容易在较低功率的抽运光作用下获得宽带太赫兹光谱.研究也表明,不同掺杂浓度对辐射THz波的强度及辐射效率有很大影响.这项研究对于探索半导体表面辐射太赫 关键词： InN InAs 太赫兹 抽运光强     

Population Difference Gratings Induced in a Resonant Medium by a Pair of Short Terahertz Nonoverlapping Pulses

Optics and Spectroscopy - We show that, using a pair of short terahertz pulses, it is possible to form light-induced gratings of the population difference, which can be applied to control terahertz...     

Directional terahertz radiation through groove-assisted hole array

The authors theoretically demonstrate the terahertz beam shaping with metallic subwavelength holes array surrounded by concentric periodic grooves. High transmission and directional radiation can be obtained simultaneously for the resonant excitation of the surface wave in the combined structure. Finite-difference time-domain simulation results shows that the transmission mainly depends on the lattice constant of hole array and the features of incident surface around it, while the far-field angle distribution is dominated by the details of the output surface. This compact beam shaping structure is hoped to serve as a basic device for future terahertz systems.     

太赫兹波在亚波长随机金属Al颗粒中的相干传播

本文报道亚波长特征尺寸的随机金属颗粒体系由于表面等离子体效应,在太赫兹（THz）电磁波段出现的异常透射现象.通过THz时域光谱实验测量,发现THz波的透射强度不仅随着金属颗粒体系的厚度减小,而且当颗粒体系的横向尺寸大于THz光斑时,透射强度会随着体系横向尺寸的增大而减小,并伴随着透射时间的延迟.同时发现,入射THz电磁场在导电粒子体系中激发的表面等离子波主要沿着体系的边界传播. 关键词： 太赫兹电磁波 金属颗粒 表面等离子体     

Resonant terahertz transmission in subwavelength metallic hole arrays of sub-skin-depth thickness

We study surface-plasmon-enhanced terahertz transmission through subwavelength metallic hole arrays of sub-skin-depth thickness. Dynamic evolution of surface-plasmon resonance in terms of array thickness is characterized by use of terahertz time-domain spectroscopy in the frequency range 0.1-4.5 THz. A critical thickness of lead array film is observed, above which surface-plasmon coupling of terahertz pulses begins and is enhanced rapidly as the array thickness is increased toward the skin depth. The experimental results indicate that high-efficiency extraordinary terahertz transmission can be achieved at an array thickness of only one third of skin depth.