Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-q99xh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T02:15:45.106Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Terahertz Beams: Generation and Spectroscopy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 February 2011

Stephen E. Ralph
Affiliation:
IBM T. J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights NY 10598
D. Grischkowsky
Affiliation:
IBM T. J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights NY 10598
Get access

Abstract

TeraHertz beams of ultrafast pulses of far infrared (λ=40–1000μm, v = 0.3x1012− 7.5×1012Hz) radiation generated via the induced dipole of photogenerated charge within a strong electric field in semiconductors are an emerging spectroscopic technique which incorporates ultrafast optical pulse generation, optoelectronics, and far infrared techniques. Recent results obtained using the trap enhanced field (TEF)[1] effect in the generation of THz beams demonstrate the extended frequency range of these sources and show their importance to time resolved infrared spectroscopy.

The generation of collimated THz radiation within semi-insulating materials is dramatically improved by the extremely large field enhancement near the anode of an electrically biased metal/semi-insulator/metal structure. Our experimental results for semiinsulating GaAs establish an operational regime in which the applied potential is confined to a small region near the anode resulting from a space charge region which exists due to a dramatic change in the number of ionized EL2 traps. The effect, contrary to that observed in trap free or doped materials, is enhanced by optical injection of carriers near the anode, and can be exploited for the efficient generation of ultrafast THz radiation.

Spectroscopy using THz beams allows both the static and dynamic properties, including refractive index, absorption, and photoconductivity, of materials and structures to be accurately measured. The energy range and time resolution of freely propagating subpsec THz pulses have not been previously available.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1992

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1 Ralph, S. E., and Grischkowsky, D., Appl. Phys. Lett., 59, 1972 (1991).Google Scholar
2 Nolte, D. D., Melloch, M. R., Ralph, S. E. and Woodall, J. M., submitted to Applied Physics Letters, March 1992.Google Scholar
3 Katzenellenbogen, N. and Grischkowsky, D., Appl. Phys. Lett., 58, 222 (1991).Google Scholar
4 Krökel, D., Grischkowsky, D., and Ketchen, M. B., Appl. Phys. Lett., 54, 1046 (1989).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
5 Grischkowsky, D., Keiding, S., van Exter, M. and Fattinger, Ch., J. Opt. Soc. Am B, 7, 2006 (1990).Google Scholar
6 Lampert, M. A. and Mark, P., Current Injection in Solids, (Academic Press, NY, 1970).Google Scholar
7 Queisser, H. J., Casey, H. C., and van Roosbroeck, W., Phys. Rev. Lett., 26, 551 (1971).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
8 Manifacier, J. -C. and Henisch, H. K., Phys. Rev. B 17, 2648 (1978).Google Scholar
9 Solomon, P. M. and Weiser, K., J. Appl. Phys. 70, 5408 (1991).Google Scholar
10 Derhacobian, N. and Haegel, N. M., Phys. Rev. B 44, 12754 (1991).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11 Derhacobian, N. and Haegel, N. M., this proceedings.Google Scholar
12 Mitoneau, A., Mirea, A., Martin, G. M. and Pons, D., Rev. De Physique, 14, 853 (1979).Google Scholar
13 Greene, B. I., Federici, J.F., Dykaar, D.R., Jones, R.R. and Bucksbaum, P.H., Appl. Phys. Lett., 59, 893 (1991).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
14 Ralph, S. E. and Grischkowsky, D., Appl. Phys. Lett, 60, 1070 (1992).Google Scholar
15 Perkowitz, S., J. Phys. Chem. Solids, 32, 2267 (1971).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
16 Loewenstein, E. V., Smith, D. R., and Morgan, R. L., Appl. Optics, Vol.12, 398 (1973).Google Scholar
17 Saeta, P. N., Federici, J.F., Greene, B. I., Dykaar, D.R., Appl. Phys. Lett., 60, 1477 (1992).Google Scholar