Fotonsko-mikrovalna konverzija u poluvodičima kontrolom vala nosioca u optičkom području

The ultrafast carrier dynamics in the optically excited semiconductors is studied by observing the THz radiation. We developed the pump and probe THz beam generation system with variable sample temperature control, and employed it to examine the ultrafast carrier scattering processes. The results proved that the THz beam generation, especially pump and probe method, is a powerful tool to study the ultrafast phenomena. We propose the new model to explain the ultrafast carrier dynamics just after photon arrivals in low-temperature-grown GaAs, which includes the intervalley scattering process.Proučavana je dinamika ultrabrzog nosioca u optički pobuđenim poluvodičima promatranjem generiranja zraka u THz području. Razvijen je sustav za generiranje THz zrake pumpe i probe s temperaturnom kontrolom varijabilnim uzorkom. Sustav je korišten za ispitivanje procesa raspršenja ultrabrzog nosioca. Rezultati ukazuju na činjenicu da je generiranje THz zraka, a posebno metoda pumpe i probe, snažan alat za proučavanje ultrabrzih pojava. Predložen je novi model za objašnjenje dinamike ultrabrzog nosioca, upravo nakon upada fotona GaAs dobiven pomoću niskotemperaturnog procesa. Model sadrži proces raspršenja među energetskim pojasevima

Terahertz radiation by ultrafast spontaneous polarization modulation in multiferroic BiFeO3_3 thin films

Terahertz (THz) radiation has been observed from multiferroic BiFeO$_3$ thin films via ultrafast modulation of spontaneous polarization upon carrier excitation with illumination of femtosecond laser pulses. The radiated THz pulses from BiFeO$_3$ thin films were clarified to directly reflect the spontaneous polarization state, giving rise to a memory effect in a unique style and enabling THz radiation even at zero-bias electric field. On the basis of our findings, we demonstrate potential approaches to ferroelectric nonvolatile random access memory with nondestructive readability and ferroelectric domain imaging microscopy using THz radiation as a sensitive probe.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Physical Review Letter

Ultrafast spatiotemporal photocarrier dynamics near GaN surfaces studied by terahertz emission spectroscopy

Gallium nitride (GaN) is a promising wide-bandgap semiconductor, and new characterization tools are needed to study its local crystallinity, carrier dynamics, and doping effects. Terahertz (THz) emission spectroscopy (TES) is an emerging experimental technique that can probe the ultrafast carrier dynamics in optically excited semiconductors. In this work, the carrier dynamics and THz emission mechanisms of GaN were examined in unintentionally doped n-type, Si-doped n-type, and Mg-doped p-type GaN films. The photocarriers excited near the surface travel from the excited-area in an ultrafast manner and generate THz radiation in accordance with the time derivative of the surge drift current. The polarity of the THz amplitude can be used to determine the majority carrier type in GaN films through a non-contact and non-destructive method. Unique THz emission excited by photon energies less than the bandgap was also observed in the p-type GaN film

Terahertz Dynamics of Quantum-Confined Electrons in Carbon Nanomaterials

Low-dimensional carbon nanostructures, such as single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and graphene, offer new opportunities for terahertz science and technology. Being zero-gap systems with a linear, photon-like energy dispersion, metallic SWCNTs and graphene exhibit a variety of extraordinary properties. Their DC and linear electrical properties have been extensively studied in the last decade, but their unusual finite-frequency, nonlinear, and/or non-equilibrium properties are largely unexplored, although they are predicted to be useful for new terahertz device applications. Terahertz dynamic conductivity measurements allow us to probe the dynamics of such photon-like electrons, or massless Dirac fermions. Here, we use terahertz time-domain spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to investigate terahertz conductivities of one-dimensional and two-dimensional electrons, respectively, in films of highly aligned SWCNTs and gated largearea graphene. In SWCNTs, we observe extremely anisotropic terahertz conductivities, promising for terahertz polarizer applications. In graphene, we demonstrate that terahertz and infrared properties sensitively change with the Fermi energy, which can be controlled by electrical gating and thermal annealing.National Science Foundation OISE-0530220National Science Foundation OISE-096840

Sub-diffraction thin-film sensing with planar terahertz metamaterials

Planar metamaterials have been recently proposed for thin dielectric film sensing in the terahertz frequency range. Although the thickness of the dielectric film can be very small compared with the wavelength, the required area of sensed material is still determined by the diffraction-limited spot size of the terahertz beam excitation. In this article, terahertz near-field sensing is utilized to reduce the spot size. By positioning the metamaterial sensing platform close to the sub-diffraction terahertz source, the number of excited resonators, and hence minimal film area, are significantly reduced. As an additional advantage, a reduction in the number of excited resonators decreases the inter-cell coupling strength, and consequently the resonance Q factor is remarkably increased. The experimental results show that the resonance Q factor is improved by 113%. Moreover, for a film with a thickness of \lambda/375 the minimal area can be as small as 0.2\lambda by 0.2\lambda. The success of this work provides a platform for future metamaterial-based sensors for biomolecular detection.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figure

Enhanced luminescence efficiency in Eu-doped GaN superlattice structures revealed by terahertz emission spectroscopy

Eu-doped Gallium nitride (GaN) is a promising candidate for GaN-based red light-emitting diodes, which are needed for future micro-display technologies. Introducing a superlattice structure comprised of alternating undoped and Eu-doped GaN layers has been observed to lead to an order-of-magnitude increase in output power; however, the underlying mechanism remains unknown. Here, we explore the optical and electrical properties of these superlattice structures utilizing terahertz emission spectroscopy. We find that ~0.1% Eu doping reduces the bandgap of GaN by ~40 meV and increases the index of refraction by ~20%, which would result in potential barriers and carrier confinement within a superlattice structure. To confirm the presence of these potential barriers, we explored the temperature dependence of the terahertz emission, which was used to estimate the barrier potentials. The result revealed that even a dilutely doped superlattice structure induces significant confinement for carriers, enhancing carrier recombination within the Eu-doped regions. Such an enhancement would improve the external quantum efficiency in the Eu-doped devices. We argue that the benefits of the superlattice structure are not limited to Eu-doped GaN, which provides a roadmap for enhanced optoelectronic functionalities in all rare-earth-doped semiconductor systems.Murakami F., Takeo A., Mitchell B., et al. Enhanced luminescence efficiency in Eu-doped GaN superlattice structures revealed by terahertz emission spectroscopy. Communications Materials 4, 100 (2023); https://doi.org/10.1038/s43246-023-00428-6

Probing low-density carriers in a single atomic layer using terahertz parallel-plate waveguides

As novel classes of two-dimensional (2D) materials and heterostructures continue to emerge at an increasing pace, methods are being sought for elucidating their electronic properties rapidly, non-destructively, and sensitively. Terahertz (THz) time-domain spectroscopy is a well-established method for characterizing charge carriers in a contactless fashion, but its sensitivity is limited, making it a challenge to study atomically thin materials, which often have low conductivities. Here, we employ THz parallel-plate waveguides to study monolayer graphene with low carrier densities. We demonstrate that a carrier density of ~2 × 1011 cm−2, which induces less than 1% absorption in conventional THz transmission spectroscopy, exhibits ~30% absorption in our waveguide geometry. The amount of absorption exponentially increases with both the sheet conductivity and the waveguide length. Therefore, the minimum detectable conductivity of this method sensitively increases by simply increasing the length of the waveguide along which the THz wave propagates. In turn, enabling the detection of low-conductivity carriers in a straightforward, macroscopic configuration that is compatible with any standard time-domain THz spectroscopy setup. These results are promising for further studies of charge carriers in a diverse range of emerging 2D materials