Imaging at terahertz frequencies (0.1-10 THz, wavelengths 3 mm-30 µm) has proven to be useful in the biomedical field. Still, the acquisition time is an important hurdle. Here, we discuss recent developments toward achieving real-time THz imaging. First, we demonstrate a spectral encoding algorithm to reconstruct a 4500-pixels image with 45 measurements. Second, we improve the image resolution using a super-resolution algorithm specifically developed for the THz. Third, we discuss our most recent work on the fabrication of an THz photoconductive antenna array for imaging. These works pave the way for future applications of THz imaging in biomedical science.
The plasmon-assisted photoconductive antenna-emitter has been developed, optimized, and fabricated on a semi-insulating GaAs photoconductive substrate. Using numerical simulation, we showed that a high aspect-ratio of the antenna plasmonic electrodes h/p = 0.5 (where h and p are height and period of metal grating, respectively) can substantially increase the amplitude of the electric field at the shadow side of the grating leading a robust localization of photocarriers in vicinity to plasmonic electrodes. The plasmonic PCA-emitter exhibits 10 μW of the emitted THz power at optical pump of 10 mW, high thermal (breakdown) stability, and the increased dynamic range, as well.
We describe a method of parameters extraction for the lumped element network representing resonant tunneling diodes (RTDs). The method is based on onchip reflection coefficient measurements in a wide frequency range from 1 kHz up to 60 GHz in combination with differential resistance measurements. We have proposed and fabricated double-barrier GaAs/AlAs RTDs embedded into the 50-Ohm coplanar transmission line section, suitable for onchip RF-measurements using a probe station and a vector network analyzer. A good agreement between the experimental S11-parameter curves and the curves calculated from the equivalent lumped network is obtained for various RTD bias voltages. A possible operation of a distributed RTDs as an active microstrip transmission line (MTL) is also discussed. Experimentally extracted parameters of the lumped equivalent network are used to define amplification conditions in MTLs based on distributed RTDs.
Quantum cascade lasers (QCL) are widely adopted as prominent and easy-to-use solid-state sources of terahertz radiation. Yet some applications require generation and detection of very sharp and narrow terahertz-range pulses with a specific spectral composition. We have studied time-resolved light-current (L–I) characteristics of multimode THz QCL operated with a fast ramp of the injection current. Detection of THz pulses was carried out using an NbN superconducting hot-electron bolometer with the time constant of the order of 1 ns while the laser bias current was swept during a single driving pulse. A nonmonotonic behavior of the L–I characteristic with several visually separated subpeaks was found. This behavior is associated with the mode competition in THz QCL cavity, which we confirm by L–I measurements with use of an external Fabry–Perot interferometer for a discrete mode selection. We also have demonstrated the possibility to control the L–I shape with suppression of one of the subpeaks by simply adjusting the off-axis parabolic mirror for optimal optical alignment for one of the laser modes. The developed technique paves the way for rapid characterization of pulsed THz QCLs for further studies of the possibilities of using this approach in remote sensing.
We propose far-infrared photodetectors with the graphene nanoribbon (GNR) array as the photosensitive element and the black phosphorus (bP) base layer (BL). The operation of these GNR infrared photodetectors (GNR-IPs) is associated with the interband photogeneration of the electron–hole pairs in the GNR array followed by the tunneling injection of either electrons or holes into a wide gap bP BL. The GNR-IP operating principle is akin to that of the unitraveling-carrier photodiodes based on the standard semiconductors. Due to a narrow energy gap in the GNRs, the proposed GNR-IPs can operate in the far-, mid-, and near-infrared spectral ranges. The cut-off photon energy, which is specified by the GNR energy gap (i.e., is dictated by the GNR width), can be in the far-infrared range, being smaller that the energy gap of the bP BL of ΔG ≃ 300 meV. Using the developed device models of the GNR-IPs and the GNR-IP terahertz photomixers, we evaluate their characteristics and predict their potential performance. The speed of the GNR-IP response is determined by rather short times: the photocarrier try-to-escape time and the photocarrier transit time across the BL. Therefore, the GNR-IPs could operate as terahertz photomixers. The excitation of the plasma oscillations in the GNR array might result in a strong resonant photomixing.
We report on a novel-designed superlattice (SL) InGaAs/InAlAs with artificially introduced epitaxial stresses into functional layers. The optimized and fabricated strained SL demonstrates a sub-picosecond photocarrier lifetime of 1.7 ps nevertheless featuring a rather moderate mobility. By means of numerical simulation we observe a decrease in the energy band gap of strained photoconductive layer InGaAs. In addition, the timedomain spectroscopic measurements reveal an increase in the spectrum amplitude of surface THz emission in the strained SL compared to lattice-matched one. We associate the decrease in photocarrier lifetime as well as the increase in the spectrum amplitude with residual strain in the SL caused by epitaxial stresses. The obtained results are of specific interest to THz science community since they open a way toward fabrication of cost-effective THz photoconductive devices for biomedical applications.
This review highlights recent and novel trends focused on metallic (plasmonic) and dielectric metasurfaces in photoconductive terahertz (THz) devices. We demonstrate the great potential of its applications in the field of THz science and technology, nevertheless indicating some limitations and technological issues. From the state-of-the-art, the metasurfaces are, by far, able to force out previous approaches like photonic crystals and are capable of significantly increasing the performance of contemporary photoconductive devices operating at THz frequencies.
The spectra of mode loss in terahertz quantum cascade laser (THz QCL) with double metal waveguide (DMW) based on Au, Cu and Ag have been analysed. On the basis of measurements of the resistivity of DMW claddings for the temperature range from 4.2 to 300 K, the loss coefficients of THz radiation at Au-, Cu-, Ag-claddings are calculated. We show that the Ag-based DMW allows to reduce the losses by 1.3–7.0 cm-1 in comparison with Au-based DMW at room temperature. Our calculations show that the Ag-based DMW has slightly lower losses (~1 cm-1) than Cu-based DMW at cryogenic temperatures (below 100 K). The use of Cu-based DMW allows to reduce the loss coefficient in comparison with Ag-based DMW at higher temperatures (above 100 K). Temperature dependence of threshold gain for THz QCL with Au-, Cu-, Ag-based DMW are calculated. Taking into account the absorption of THz radiation by free carriers and optical phonons, the spectrum of total mode loss of THz QCL with different thickness of n+-GaAs top contact layer are analyses.
We have designed and fabricated terahertz quantum cascade lasers (THz QCLs) with double metal waveguide (DMW) based on three and four-quantum well GaAs/Al0.15Ga0.85As active module with resonant-phonon depopulation scheme. Three-well and four-well THz QCLs have a lasing frequencies of 3.2 THz and 2.3 THz, respectively. We investigate the dependence of threshold current and lasing output power on temperature for fabricated THz QCL. We propose to use DMW based on silver (Ag) for reducing the losses of the waveguide. The spectra of the loss coefficient of the DMW based on Au and Ag are calculated. It is shown, that the use of Ag-based DMW allows to reduce losses by 2-4 cm–1 in comparison with Au-based DMW. Taking into account the absorption of THz radiation by free carriers and optical phonons, the spectrum of total mode losses has a wide minimum in the region of 3-6 THz, which shifts to the highfrequency region of the spectrum with increasing temperature. The postgrowth processing for THz QCL with Ag-Ag DMW are studied.
We propose a novel technology for fabricating plasmonic photoconductive antennas (PCAs) based on superlattice (SL) with increased height of the plasmonic gratings up to 100 nm. We passivate the surface of the SL by Si3N4, etch there windows and deposit Ti/Au antenna metallization. The plasmonic gratings are formed by electron-beam lithography with Ti/Au metallization followed by lift-off. Then an Al2O3 anti-reflection coating layer for reduction of the Fresnel reflection losses is used on the top of the plasmonic gratings, which also serves for maintaining its mechanical stability and providing the excitation of guided modes at the resonant wavelengths of the subwavelength slab waveguide formed by the metal gratings. Current-voltage measurements under femtosecond laser illumination reveal strong increase of the transient photocurrent generated by the fabricated plasmonic PCA which is 15 times higher than for conventional one (i.e. without the plasmonic gratings). The obtained terahertz (THz) power spectra demonstrate 100-times increase of the THz power in the plasmonic PCA. The results might be of interest to the needs of THz spectroscopy and imaging systems, in particular, operating with low-power lasers.
We have investigated the influence of indium content (x) increase on spectral characteristics of InxGa1-xAs photoconductor. To avoid the mismatch between crystalline parameters of InxGa1-xAs and GaAs wafer we proposed to incorporate a step-graded metamorphic buffer layer. We showed that x increase strongly enhances THz emission and broadens THz spectrum of InxGa1-xAs. Since no polarity rehearsal of the THz waveform occurs and electron diffusion mobility increases up to 90% with x increase we attribute the increase of THz intensity to photo-Dember effect contribution. The maximum efficiency of optical-to-THz conversion was obtained for In0.72Ga0.28 As at optical fluence ~0.01 μJ=cm2. The fabricated photoconductors can be used as promising photo-Dember or lateral photo-Dember THz emitters in pulsed THz spectroscopy and imaging, in particular, operating with long wave optical pump.
We present the results of numerical and experimental study of the photoconductive antennas (PCAs) based on GaAs and its ternary compounds. We produced three photoconductive materials with different indium content, which then were applied for fabrication of the THz PCAs. These PCAs were used as emitters of the THz pulsed spectrometer. We evaluated the stationary transient current generated by the PCAs, simulated their I-V characteristics, and compared them with the experimental ones. Using the finite integration method, we studied the thermal properties of the PCAs and demonstrated significant influence of the heat-sink on the leakage currents of the InGaAs-based PCA. We showed that the heat-sink reduces the operation temperature of the InGaAs-based PCAs by 40-64 % depending on the indium content. The observed results might be interesting for applications of the PCAs in THz pulsed spectroscopy and imaging.
We have developed a method of terahertz (THz) solid immersion microscopy for imaging of biological objects and tissues. It relies on the solid immersion lens (SIL) employing the THz beam focusing into the evanescent-field volume and allowing strong reduction in the dimensions of the THz beam caustic. By solving the problems of the sample handling at the focal plane and raster scanning of its surface with the focused THz beam, the THz SIL microscopy has been adapted for imaging of soft tissues. We have assembled an experimental setup based on a backward-wave oscillator, as a continuous-wave source operating at the wavelength of λ = 500 μm, and a Golay cell, as a detector of the THz wave intensity. By imaging of the razor blade, we have demonstrated advanced 0.2λ-resolution of the proposed THz SIL configuration. Using the experimental setup, we have performed THz imaging of a mint leaf revealing its sub-wavelength features. The observed results highlight a potential of the THz SIL microscopy in biomedical applications of THz science and technology.
The gated GaAs structures like the field-effect transistor with the array of the Sn nanothreads was fabricated via delta-doping of vicinal GaAs surface by Sn atoms with a subsequent regrowth. That results in the formation of the chains of Sn atoms at the terrace edges. Two device models were developed. The quantum model accounts for the quantization of the electron energy spectrum in the self-consistent two-dimensional electric potential, herewith the electron density distribution in nanothread arrays for different gate voltages is calculated. The classical model ignores the quantization and electrons are distributed in space according to 3D density of states and Fermi-Dirac statistics. It turned out that qualitatively both models demonstrate similar behavior, nevertheless, the classical one is in better quantitative agreement with experimental data. Plausibly, the quantization could be ignored because Sn atoms are randomly placed along the thread axis. The terahertz hot-electron bolometers (HEBs) could be based on the structure under consideration.
Access to the requested content is limited to institutions that have purchased or subscribe to SPIE eBooks.
You are receiving this notice because your organization may not have SPIE eBooks access.*
*Shibboleth/Open Athens users─please
sign in
to access your institution's subscriptions.
To obtain this item, you may purchase the complete book in print or electronic format on
SPIE.org.
INSTITUTIONAL Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.
PERSONAL Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.