Terahertz modulator using photonic crystals

In this letter, a novel terahertz wave modulator based on a silicon oxide/polyaniline photonic crystal is proposed. The modulation mechanism of the novel modulator is based on a dynamic shift of the photonic band gap by the applied external electric field. Its performances were investigated with the finite-difference time-domain method. The novel modulator has 3 dB modulation bandwidth of 10 kHz, a size as small as 20 mm and its extinction ratio larger than 30 dB at the frequency of 1 THz.     

Noncascading THz-wave parametric oscillator synchronously pumped by mode-locked picosecond Ti:sapphire laser in doubly-resonant external cavity

A noncascading terahertz (THz) wave parametric oscillator synchronously pumped by a mode-locked picosecond Ti:sapphire laser whose average power was less than 1 W was demonstrated with a noncollinear phase-matching MgO:LiNbO₃ crystal in an external enhancement cavity doubly resonant for both pump (780 nm) and signal (781-784 nm) waves. In the external cavity, in which the pump wave enhanced so as to reduce the pumping threshold of parametric processes, the signal wave could also resonate and thus be enhanced simultaneously, resulting in a THz wave output at approximately 0.9 THz as the idler wave. The novel dual enhancement of pump and signal waves reduced the threshold pumping intensity to approximately 50 MW/cm², which was much lower than that of a conventional externally pumped THz wave parametric oscillator with a crystal.     

Terahertz wave narrow bandpass filter based on photonic crystal

We designed a narrow bandpass terahertz wave filter using photonic crystals with a line defect. An inserted linear defect in one-dimensional photonic crystal structures for a channeled filtering in the terahertz range are studied and designed theoretically. By using transfer matrix method, we examined the transmittance spectra for the proposed terahertz wave filter has a 3 dB transmission loss bandwidth of 20 MHz ranging from 0.29998 THz to 0.30001 THz. The simulated results show that a very narrow transmission band and high transmission (higher than 99.99%) centered at λ₀, and very sharp edges can be achieved.     

Multi-band terahertz two-handed metamaterial based on the combined ring and cross pairs

We present the design of a Multiband two-handed metamaterial (MM) with the composite structure combined ring and cross pairs (RP + CP) in the terahertz regime. The dual-band left-handed and single-band right-handed transmission properties of this composite structure were explored by the FDTD method. The MM exhibits left-handed and right-handed transmission pass bands around the frequencies of 0.43 THz, 1.32 THz and 0.85 THz for the terahertz electromagnetic (EM) wave normal incidence, respectively. The surface currents distributions are demonstrated to discuss the physical mechanism of the left-handed properties of the proposed MM. The retrieved equivalent EM parameters and the refraction phenomenon based on a wedge-shaped model verify the left-handed properties. Furthermore, the dual-band left-handed transmission properties of RP + CP structure can be tunable individually by changing the structural parameters. The presented design of terahertz two-handed MM offers a flexibility for investigation of their novel EM properties, and important terahertz device applications.     

Thermally controlled multiband,mode-switching plasmonic filter operating at terahertz frequencies

A thermally controlled multiband, mode-switching plasmonic filter with periodic subwavelength metal asterisk-shaped air hole arrays has been proposed in the terahertz range. Utilizing the changing properties to terahertz wave propagating on the metal-semiconductor interface and in the semiconductor InSb at varying temperature, thermally controlled multiband, mode-switching plasmonic filter owns an excellent tuning ability to terahertz wave. The simulation results show that the maximum transmittance of the structure is 99.8% at 434 GHz, 80 K, the bandwidths at 80 K are 56 GHz at 0.434 THz, 14 GHz at 944 GHz and maximum intensity modulation depth could reach to 99.8% at 434 GHz between 80 K and 373 K.     

Fast-response terahertz wave switch based on T-shaped photonic crystal waveguide

We design an ultra-fast terahertz wave switch based on T-shape photonic crystal waveguide. The polymer rod is added in the junction as a point defect, the refractive index of which can be varied by adjusting the external pump laser intensity. The transmission spectrum is calculated by finite-difference time-domain method, which shows that the output energy of the two output ports is closely related to the refractive index of the polymer rod. By continuous wave excitation of the guided mode, the simulation results show that the T-shaped photonic crystal waveguide can flexibly tune the power in two output ports. The tuning rate of the device is about 0.3 ns. These results provide a useful guide and a theoretical basis for the developments of terahertz wave functional components.     

Design and analysis of a metallic waveguide with a DAST cap for continuously phase-matched terahertz difference frequency generation

We present a novel source for continuous terahertz (THz) wave generation using an organic ionic salt, 4-dimethylamino-N-methyl-4-stilbazolium-tosylate (DAST). THz waves are generated based on difference frequency generation (DFG) in the device. Phase matching condition and THz generation between 1.3 THz and 2.7 THz, for optical pump around 1.6 μm, are investigated. Our calculations predict that the device produces a relatively high THz output power of 11.07 μW from a 4 cm long waveguide at 2 THz.     

Tunable dual-wavelength terahertz wave power splitter

We demonstrate, for the first time, a tunable dual-wavelength terahertz wave power splitter based on the multimode interference effect and self-imaging principle in 1 × 2 × 2 photonic crystal waveguides. Both plane wave expansion method and finite-difference time-domain method are used to calculate and analyze the characteristics of the proposed device. The simulation results demonstrate that the power splitter not only split the input power into output1 and output2 branches with equal power at frequency of 1.09 THz, but also split the power into output3 and output4 branches symmetrically at frequency of 1.20 THz. Furthermore, for the frequency of 1.09 THz, the input terahertz wave power can be split into output1 and output2 branches with an arbitrary ratio by tuning the refractive index of the tuning rods.     

A novel terahertz wave reflective polarizer for THz communication

We design terahertz wave reflective polarizer that operates over a wide terahertz wavelength range and is based on a periodic bilayer structure. The structure is characterized by transfer matrix calculations. Results of simulations show that the mirror is highly reflecting for incidence angle θ ≤ 60°and TE as well as TM polarization in the wavelength range between 541.6 μm and 574.2 μm (i.e. frequency band between 522.5GHZ and 533.9 GHZ). As the incidence angle increases this reflection band blueshifts for both TM and TE polarizations.     

Design and simulation of a novel 32 × 32 photonic bandgap power switch based on SOI waveguide

In this paper, we propose a novel 32 × 32 photonic bandgap (PBG) power switch based on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate. The 32 × 32 PBG power switch merges the design concept of PBG structure and multimode interference (MMI) structure. With controlling the voltages of 256 blocks for changing the refractive index, we can demonstrate that the light propagation direction can be switched to the assigned output port as a 32 × 32 power switch. According to the simulations, the power switching control tables are searched and selected for successful switching. The size of our designed 32 × 32 PBG switch can be reduced to 252 × 6040 μm which is much smaller than the conventional opto-electronic switches.     

High-power tunable terahertz generation from a surface-emitted THz-wave parametric oscillator based on two MgO:LiNbO3 crystals

A high-powered tunable terahertz wave (THz-wave) has been parametrically generated via a surface-emitted THz-wave parametric oscillator (TPO) pumped by a multi-longitudinal-mode Q-switched Nd:YAG laser. The effective parametric gain length was enlarged by employing two MgO:LiNbO₃ crystals. The tunable THz-wave radiation from 0.8 to 2.8 THz was realized via varying phase-matching angle between the pump wave and the Stokes wave. The maximum THz-wave radiation was 173.9 nJ/pulse at 1.7 THz as the pump energy was 82 mJ, corresponding to an energy conversion efficiency of about 2.12 × 10⁻⁶ and a photon conversion efficiency of about 0.035%. The first-order, the second-order and the third-order Stokes waves were observed during the experiments.     

Theoretical analysis of THz Sommerfeld wave propagation on metal wire at normal temperature

In this paper, THz Sommerfeld wave propagation on single bare metal wire and dielectrically coated metal wire waveguide is presented by the numerical calculation from 0.1 THz to 1 THz. The influences of different metal and different dielectric materials on the electric field distribution around the metal wire are analyzed. The characteristics of energy coupling in the coated metal wire with different metal and dimensions are also proposed. The analysis results release a fundamental characteristic for describing the surface wave propagation along the dielectrically coated metal wire at terahertz frequencies, and moreover, the analysis results also suggest that a simple dielectrically coated metal-wire can be used for terahertz applications due to its energy concentration, as compared to the single bare metal wire.     

A polymeric optical switch array based on arrayed waveguide grating structure

A novel 1 × N optical switch array based on arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) structure is presented in this paper. The device is designed for polymeric materials with a large negative thermooptic (TO) coefficient, which is employed to change the imaging effect and to realize optical switching. When input wavelength is located in a special waveband, the optical signal will image at different output channel as temperature changes. The two-dimensional finite difference beam propagation method (FD-BPM) has been used to simulate a 1 × 9 optical switch array. The insertion loss of this switch array is below 1.37 dB and the extinction ratio is better than 31 dB at 1550 nm, when the coupling and propagation loss is neglected. The optimum design and the simulation results show that this structure could be a multiple wavelengths switching at the same time.     

2D dark optical surface lattice with an efficient intensity-gradient cooling of atoms by evanescent wave interference

We propose a novel scheme to form a 2D dark optical surface lattice (DOSL) for cold atoms on the surface of the dense flint glass by using two sets of blue-detuned evanescent wave interference fields and a blue-detuned evanescent wave field. In the 2D DOSL, cold atoms will be trapped in the vicinity of minimum intensity and suffered the minimal light shift as well as the lowest coherence loss. The total potential and trap-depth of the individual optical micro-trap in the 2D DOSL are high enough to trap cold atoms (T = 120 μK) released from the standard magneto-optical trap (MOT), and atoms trapped in the 2D DOSL can be cooled to several μK with the efficient intensity-gradient Sisyphus cooling. The lattice constant of the DOSL can be controllable by changing the incident angles of lights.     

Optimal design and analysis of a high-speed, low-voltage polymer Mach-Zehnder interferometer electro-optic switch

Detailed model, analysis and design technique are presented for simulating a high-speed polymer Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) electro-optic switch with push-pull dual driving electrodes and rib waveguides. The novel formulas of the time-domain response are derived. Thorough optimization and simulation for the designed device are performed. The total length of the basic function unit of the switch is about 5049 μm, the push-pull switching voltage is 2.23 V, the switching time is 18.1 ps, and the insertion loss and crosstalk are less than 2.64 and −30 dB, respectively, within the range of the operation wavelength from 1534 to 1566 nm. These results are in good agreement with those obtained from the beam propagation method (BPM).     

Photorefractive spatial solitons as waveguiding elements for optical telecommunication

Spatial solitons permit optical waveguiding. This holds true for the soliton write beam (i.e. the driving laser beam), as well as for additional probe beams, which may carry optically encoded information. This feature of spatial solitons is of significant interest for applications in optical telecommunication. We present systematic experimental investigations on single and multiple spatial solitons in the infrared spectral regime (i.e. around optical telecommunication wavelengths), applied as controllable all-optical devices. In particular, we present the implementations of a Y-coupler as an optical signal divider, a switchable Y-coupler as an optical add multiplexer, and a novel design for a 1 × 3 optical beam switch, i.e. applied as a router for infrared signal beams. We report large waveguiding efficiencies up to 40% and transmission rates of 90 Tbit/s in our setups. The presented experimental data are confirmed by numerical simulations.     

Plasma wave field effect transistor as a resonant detector for 1 terahertz imaging applications

The possibility of using plasma wave field effect transistor in a time domain terahertz (THz) spectroscopy setup is presented. We demonstrate that High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs) is an efficient device for detection of pulsed terahertz electric fields generated with a femtosecond laser oscillator. The response was observed in the frequency range of about 1 THz, far above the cutoff frequency of the transistors at room temperature. We show that the physical mechanism of the detection is related to the plasma waves excited in the transistor channel and that significant improvement of the active device can be achieved by increasing the drain current. The two-dimensional terahertz imaging applications clearly demonstrate that plasma wave nanometer HEMT should be employed as efficient future detectors in a matrix configuration.     

An efficient cavity for optically pumped terahertz lasers

The efficiency of a simply designed cavity for optically pumped pulsed terahertz lasers is studied experimentally. A coated Ge and a crystal quartz act as the input and output windows, respectively. The thickness of the Ge window is designed according to etalon effects to maximize terahertz reflectivity. NH₃ is filled in the cavity as the active medium. When NH₃ is pumped by the 10P(32) line of a TEA CO₂ laser, intense 151.5 μm terahertz radiation is emitted. As high as 19.6 mJ terahertz radiation is extracted from 1.57 J pump energy. The corresponding photon conversion efficiency reaches 35.3%.     

Magnetically Tunable Terahertz Switch and Band-Pass Filter

A novel design of a tunable terahertz switch and band-pass filter using liquid-crystal-filled photonic crystal waveguide is demonstrated. The effects of magnetic field on the photonic bandgaps and transmitting properties of a THz wave are investigated by using the plane wave expansion method and finite difference time domain method. The efficient photonic bandgap tuning is predicted such that the two-dimensional liquid-crystal-filled photonie crystal waveguide can serve as a switch and continuously tunable band-pass filter with controlling of the magnetic field.     

Fabrication and characterization of polymer thermo-optic switch based on mmi coupler

The 2 × 2 polymer thermo-optic switch based on MMI coupler is realized. This device is fabricated using standard fabrication techniques such as coating, photolithography, and dry etching. A crosstalk level of −36.2 dB is achieved at cross and bar states. A power consumption of 1.85 mW is applied to change the state of the switch from the cross to the bar state. A switching time of less than 0.7 ms is traced to change a state of the realized switch.