Transient surface photoconductivity of GaAs emitter studied by terahertz pump-emission spectroscopy

This paper investigates the ultrafast carrier dynamics and surface photoconductivity of unbiased semi-insulating GaAs in detail by using a terahertz pump-emission technique. Based on theoretical modelling, it finds that transient photoconductivity plays a very important role in the temporal waveform of terahertz radiation pulse. Anomalous enhancement in both terahertz radiation and transient photoconductivity is observed after the excitation of pump pulse and we attribute these phenomena to carrier capture in the EL2 centers. Moreover, the pump power- and temperature-dependent measurements are also performed to verify this trapping model.     

Influence of electric current and magnetic field on terahertz photoconductivity in Pb1 − x Sn x Te(In)

Photoconductivity of Pb_{1 ? x} Sn _x Te(In) solid solutions in the terahertz spectral range is defined by a new type of local electron states linked to the quasi-Fermi level. The paper deals with investigation of the influence of electric current and magnetic field on the amplitude of the terahertz photoconductivity in Pb_{1 ? x} Sn _x Te(In) alloys of different composition. It is shown that the density of local electron states responsible for the positive persistent photoconductivity decreases with increasing electric current via a sample, as well as with transition to the hole conductivity in samples with a high content of tin telluride (x > 0.26). It is found that the magnetic field dependence of the positive photoconductivity is non-monotonous and has a maximum. The maximum position in magnetic field is proportional to the terahertz radiation quantum energy. Mechanisms responsible for the effects observed are discussed.     

Resonance absorption of terahertz radiation in nanoperforated graphene

Recent measurements of the conductivity of nanoperforated graphene are interpreted in terms of edges states existing near the edge of each nanohole. The perimetric quantization of edge states should result in the formation of a quasi-equidistant ladder of quasistationary energy levels. Dirac fermions filling this ladder rotate about each nanohole in the direction determined by the valley index. It is shown that the irradiation of this system by circularly polarized terahertz radiation leads to a resonance in absorption in one of the valleys. The magnitude of absorption at the resonance frequency can be controlled by means of gate voltage.     

Linearly polarized terahertz radiation in uniaxially deformed Ge(Ga) upon the electric breakdown of an impurity

The polarization spectra of spontaneous terahertz radiation in uniaxially deformed germanium have been measured upon the electric breakdown of shallow acceptors. Lines with various degrees of polarization with respect to the compression axis have been observed in the radiation spectrum. These lines are associated with the optical transitions of holes between the excited and ground states of the acceptor, as well as with the transitions of holes from the valence band to the ground state of the impurity. At a pressure of about 3 ± 0.3 kbar in the [111] direction near the impurity breakdown, the linear polarization degree reaches ～80–90% in the main lines of terahertz radiation. As the electric field intensity increases, the depolarization of radiation is observed, which is caused by the heating of nonequilibrium holes by the electric field.     

Hot-electron transport in graphene driven by intense terahertz fields

We investigate transport properties of graphene driven by intense terahertz (THz) fields, considering impurity, acoustic-phonon and optical phonon scatterings. The time evolutions of drift velocity and electron temperature are analyzed and the phase shift and distortion of drift velocity are demonstrated. We also examine the terahertz photoconductivity, finding that the suppression of linear dc mobility is greatly enhanced with decreasing frequency of the radiation.     

Negative photoconductivity of selectively doped SiGe/Si: B heterostructures with a two-dimensional hole gas in the middle-infrared range

The spectra of lateral photoconductivity in selectively doped SiGe/Si: B heterostructures with a two-dimensional hole gas are analyzed. It is revealed that the lateral photoconductivity spectra of these heterostructures exhibit two signals opposite in sign. The positive signal of the photoconductivity is associated with the impurity photoconductivity in silicon layers of the heterostructures. The negative signal of the photoconductivity is assigned to the transitions of holes from the SiGe quantum well to long-lived states in silicon barriers. The position of the negative photoconductivity signal depends on the composition of the quantum well, and the energy of the low-frequency edge of this signal is in close agreement with the calculated band offset between the quantum-confinement level of holes in the quantum well and the valence band edge in the barrier.     

Ensemble of asymmetric quantum dots in a cavity as a terahertz laser source

The possibility of establishing a terahertz laser generation at a transition between the dressed states formed by the interaction of an intense optical field with an ensemble of asymmetric quantum dots (QDs) in a high-Q terahertz cavity is discussed. It has been shown that the population inversion in the system of dressed states is achieved owing to spontaneous relaxation of the excited state of the QDs. The set of Maxwell–Bloch equations for the difference between dressed-state populations, polarization, and population of the cavity mode has been analyzed in the mean-field approximation. The lasing conditions have been clarified and the possibility of controlling the terahertz radiation intensity has been studied, including the case of an inhomogeneously broadened ensemble of QDs.     

Concept of infrared photodetector based on graphene–graphene nanoribbon structure

We study the mechanisms of photoconductivity in graphene layer–graphene nanoribbon–graphene layer (GL–GNR–GL) structures with the i-type gapless GL layers as sensitive elements and I-type GNRs as barrier elements. The effects of both an increase in the electron and hole densities under infrared illumination and the electron and hole heating and cooling in GLs are considered. The device model for a GL–GNR–GL photodiode is developed. Using this model, the dark current, photocurrent, and responsivity are calculated as functions of the structure parameters, temperature, and the photon energy. The transition from heating of the electron–hole plasma in GLs to its cooling by changing the incident photon energy can result in the change of the photoconductivity sign from positive to negative. It is demonstrated that GL–GNR–GL photodiodes can be used in effective infrared and terahertz detectors operating at room temperature. The change in the photoconductivity sign can be used for the discrimination of the incident radiation with the wavelength 2–3 μm and 8–12 μm.     

Photoconductivity of the narrow-gap Pb<Subscript>1 − <Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Sn<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Te(In) semiconductors in the terahertz spectral range

The spectral dependence of photoconductivity in the doped narrow-gap semiconductor Pb_0.75Sn_0.25Te(In) under the action of terahertz laser radiation pulses has been studied at temperatures 4.2–30 K. It is shown that the photoconductivity spectrum of the semiconductor spreads at least up to the wavelength of 500 μm. This value is more than twice higher than the red cutoff wavelength of 220 μm in uniaxially stressed Ge(Ga) which is known as the most long-wavelength photodetector among sensitive photon detectors of radiation. Mechanisms responsible for photosensitivity of PbSnTe(In) in the terahertz spectral range are discussed.     

InAs/GaSb量子阱中太赫兹光电导特性

太赫兹技术由于具有重大的科学价值及应用前景而引起了广泛关注,其核心问题是性能优异的室温太赫兹辐射源和探测器研究.本文用半经典的玻尔兹曼方程方法研究了In As/Ga Sb量子阱系统中载流子对电磁场的响应,运用平衡方程方法求解玻尔兹曼方程得到了量子阱系统中的光电导,系统地研究了量子阱结构对光电导的影响,揭示了在该量子阱系统中光电导产生的物理机制.研究发现,量子阱结构主要通过调节载流子的能级、浓度和波函数的耦合影响光电导,对称性较好的量子阱结构(8 nm-8 nm)的光电导信号更强,其峰值落在太赫兹区(0.2 THz),并且在低温下器件的性能较好,温度升高则吸收峰略有降低,且光电导峰值发生红移.研究结果表明该量子阱系统可以用作室温太赫兹光电器件.     

Terahertz Photoconductivity in Hg<Subscript>1−<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Cd<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Te near the transition from the direct to inverted spectrum

For the Hg_1?x Cd _x Te-based structures, it is shown that the transition from the direct to invertеd spectrum is accompanied by the sign change for the signals related to the terahertz photoconductivity and to the magnetophotogalvanic effect. Within the range of chemical compositions corresponding to the inverted spectrum, the photoconductivity kinetics exhibits specific features, which can result from the surface topological states.     

Optical absorption in asymmetric double quantum wells driven by two intense terahertz fields

Optical absorption is investigated for asymmetric double quantum wells driven by a resonant terahertz field and a varied terahertz field both polarized along the growth direction. Rich nonlinear dynamics of the replica peak and the Autler-Townes splitting of various dressed states are systematically studied in undoped asymmetric double quantum wells by taking account of multiple factors, such as the frequency of the varied terahertz field and the strength of the resonant terahertz field. Each electron subband splits into two dressed states when the resonant terahertz field is applied in the absence of the varied terahertz field, the optical absorption spectrum shows the first order Autler-Townes splitting of the electron subbands. When a varied terahertz field is added into the resonant system, the replica peak and the second order Autler-Townes splitting of the dressed states near the band edge respectively emerge when the varied terahertz field is non-resonant and resonant with these dressed states. When the strength of the resonant terahertz field is increased, the first order Autler-Townes double peaks and the replica peak in the optical absorption spectrum shift with the shifts of the dressed states. The presented results have potential applications in electro-optical devices.     

Probing of local electron states in Pb1 − x Sn x Te(In) narrow-gap semiconductors by laser terahertz radiation

Local electron states in indium-doped lead telluride-based solid solutions exhibit a number of features which separate them from the diversity of impurity states in semiconductors. These features are most pronounced in terahertz photoconductivity. The results of the corresponding experiments performed during the last years and supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research are reviewed.     

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.     

Features of the scattering of focused terahertz radiation from the probe of a terahertz near-field microscope

The scattering of pulsed terahertz radiation from metallic probes in the form of thin cylinders and cones with a small opening angle, which are used in apertureless terahertz near-field microscopes, has been investigated. The extrema of the waveform of pulsed terahertz radiation scattered from a free probe are linearly shifted with a change in the vertical position of the probe, and the spectral distribution is characterized by an inversely proportional frequency dependence. In the presence of a reflecting surface under the probe, when new excitation and detection directions appear, the spectrum of scattered terahertz radiation does not differ from the spectrum of the incident radiation. The experimental data are in mutual agreement with the theoretical results obtained within the model of the generation of diffraction edge waves at the interface of inhomogeneous excitation between the excitation region and shadow region.     

Diffraction-induced edge contrast enhancement for terahertz imaging

Contrast enhancement is particularly important for imaging of weakly absorbing materials. We demonstrate the inherent contrast-enhancement effect at the edges of a transparent object by using a conventional pulsed terahertz imaging setup without additional modification of the system design. We provide both experimental and theoretical evidence suggesting that this effect is a consequence of the frequency-dependent energy loss of the terahertz radiation induced by edge diffraction. The influence of the phase step of the broadband terahertz pulses on the edge contrast is discussed.     

New type of B-periodic magneto-oscillations in a two-dimensional electron system induced by microwave irradiation

We observe a new type of magneto-oscillations in the photovoltage and the longitudinal resistance of a two-dimensional electron system. The oscillations are induced by microwave radiation and are periodic in magnetic field. The period is determined by the microwave frequency, the electron density, and the distance between potential probes. The phenomenon is accounted for by interference of coherently excited edge magnetoplasmons in the contact regions and offers perspectives for developing new tunable microwave and terahertz detection schemes and spectroscopic techniques.     

Anisotropic multicomponent terahertz photoconductivity in quantum Hall systems

The decay times of the terahertz photoconductivity signal are studied for samples in the quantum Hall regime. The photoconductivity signal has both the longitudinal components caused by the photoinduced change in the longitudinal resistance and the transverse components due to the photoinduced transverse current. The signal kinetics are qualitatively different for samples with relatively low (500 000 cm²/Vs and lower) and relatively high (900 000 cm²/Vs and higher) charge-carrier mobilities.     

Terahertz radiation induced by the Wannier-Stark localization of electrons in a natural silicon carbide superlattice

Intense terahertz electroluminescence from SiC structures with a miniband electron spectrum caused by the natural superlattice has been observed. The shape of the terahertz radiation line, the linear dependence of the position of its maximum on the bias voltage, the typical value of the field required to induce the radiation, and the prevailing polarization of the radiation along the superlattice axis indicate that the observed radiation results from to the excitation of stationary Bloch oscillations of electrons in the natural silicon carbide superlattice.     

一种有效提高太赫兹时域光谱装置成像空间分辨率的方法

太赫兹波成像技术一个最显著的制约因素是其有限的空间分辨率。提出通过在样品前加小孔的方法来提高传统太赫兹时域光谱装置成像的空间分辨率。采用在样品前约2 mm处加直径为0.5 mm小孔的方法使成像的空间分辨率从1.276 mm提高到0.774 mm,提高0.502 mm,约39％。通过这个简单的方法在传统的太赫兹时域光谱成像装置上实现了空间分辨率从毫米量级到亚毫米量级的提高。聚乙烯板上直径为1 mm的小孔被作为成像的研究对象,分别采用传统的太赫兹时域光谱装置对样品进行直接成像和在样品前约2 mm处加直径为0.5 mm的小孔后对样品成像两种方式,并采用损失成像中信噪比较好的能量损失成像,对比两种方式得到的样品的太赫兹像,结果显示聚乙烯板上小孔的边界加小孔后成像比不加小孔直接成像明显清晰。证实了在样品前加小孔可以有效的提高太赫兹成像系统的空间分辨率。从理论上对通过在样品前加小孔提高系统空间分辨率的方法进行了分析,指出小孔尺寸越小,系统的空间相干长度越大,空间分辨率越高,但同时太赫兹信号的强度会相应减小。该方法可以简单有效的提高太赫兹时域光谱装置成像的空间分辨率,从而进一步拓展太赫兹谱成像技术的应用领域。