Design, Fabrication, and Experimental Characterization of Plasmonic Photoconductive Terahertz Emitters

Christopher Berry; Mohammad Reza Hashemi; Mehmet Unlu; Mona Jarrahi

doi:10.3791/50517

Diseño, Fabricación y Caracterización Experimental de Plasmónicos Emisores terahercios fotoconduc...

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JoVE Journal Engineering

Design, Fabrication, and Experimental Characterization of Plasmonic Photoconductive Terahertz Emitters

Diseño, Fabricación y Caracterización Experimental de Plasmónicos Emisores terahercios fotoconductoras

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10:54 min

July 8, 2013

DOI: 10.3791/50517-v

Christopher Berry¹, Mohammad Reza Hashemi¹, Mehmet Unlu¹, Mona Jarrahi¹

¹Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department,University of Michigan

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Overview

This article presents a method for generating terahertz radiation using plasmonic photoconductive emitters. These emitters demonstrate significantly enhanced terahertz power levels compared to traditional designs.

Key Study Components

Area of Science

Plasmonics
Terahertz radiation
Photoconductive emitters

Background

Terahertz radiation has applications in various fields including imaging and spectroscopy.
Conventional photoconductive emitters have limitations in power output.
Plasmonic structures can enhance electromagnetic interactions.
High quantum efficiency is crucial for effective terahertz generation.

Purpose of Study

To develop a method for creating efficient terahertz radiation sources.
To compare the performance of plasmonic and conventional emitters.
To characterize the spectral properties of the generated radiation.

Methods Used

Fabrication of plasmonic photoconductive emitter prototypes using electron beam lithography.
Measurement of radiation power from the prototypes.
Comparison with conventional photoconductive emitters.
Characterization of spectral properties of the emitted radiation.

Main Results

Plasmonic emitters showed two orders of magnitude higher terahertz power levels.
Enhanced radiation power and efficiency were confirmed through experimental results.
Significant differences in spectral properties were observed.
The incorporation of plasmonic electrodes proved beneficial for emitter performance.

Conclusions

Plasmonic photoconductive emitters represent a significant advancement in terahertz generation.
This method can lead to more efficient terahertz applications in research and industry.
Future work may explore further enhancements and applications of these emitters.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are plasmonic photoconductive emitters?

They are devices that utilize plasmonic structures to enhance terahertz radiation generation.

How do these emitters compare to conventional ones?

They offer significantly higher power levels and efficiency.

What is the significance of terahertz radiation?

Terahertz radiation has important applications in imaging, spectroscopy, and communications.

What fabrication technique is used for these emitters?

Electron beam lithography is used to create the plasmonic structures.

What were the main findings of the study?

The study found that plasmonic electrodes enhance both power and efficiency of terahertz emitters.

What future research directions are suggested?

Further enhancements and applications of plasmonic photoconductive emitters are suggested for future work.

Se describen métodos para el diseño, fabricación y caracterización experimental de los emisores fotoconductoras plasmónica, que ofrecen dos órdenes de niveles de potencia más altos terahercios magnitud en comparación con los emisores fotoconductoras convencionales.

El objetivo general de este procedimiento es demostrar un método altamente eficiente para generar radiación de terahercios. Esto se logra mediante la incorporación de electrodos de contacto plasmónicos en emisores de ertz fotoconductores para permitir una alta eficiencia cuántica y un funcionamiento ultrarrápido del dispositivo simultáneamente. El primer paso es fabricar prototipos de emisores fotoconductores plasmónicos utilizando litografía por haz de electrones.

A continuación, se mide la potencia de radiación de los prototipos de emisores implementados y se compara con emisores de ertz fotoconductores convencionales idénticos sin electrodos plasmónicos. El paso final es caracterizar las propiedades espectrales de la radiación de los prototipos de emisores de ertz fotoconductores plasmónicos. Finalmente, se obtienen resultados que muestran que la incorporación de electrodos plasmónicos en un emisor fotoconductor podría mejorar la potencia y la eficiencia de la radiación en dos órdenes de magnitud.

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