C. D. Wood

Formation and manipulation of two-dimensional arrays of micron-scale particles in microfluidic systems by surface acoustic waves

The two-dimensional concentration and manipulation of micron-scale particles by orthogonal, surface acoustic, standing waves is demonstrated. The particles are organized by liquid pressure waves in a microfluidic system over a piezoelectric substrate and form a uniform two-dimensional array with a spacing governed by the mechanical nodes of the two orthogonal, surface acoustic, standing waves. The nodal spacing can be controlled in each orthogonal direction independently by adjustment of the radio frequency applied to the separate acoustic wave transducers. This technique could be used to enhance the particle concentrations at sensing locations in DNA or protein array detectors.

Terahertz frequency range band-stop filters

We report the operation of band-stop filters in the terahertz (THz) frequency range, working at a center frequency of 600GHz. The filters were characterized by embedding them in a microstrip line attached to photoconductive switches which act as THz emitters and detectors. The filters have applications in sensing and detection. The chosen filter design allows cascading of several filters along the same microstrip line, which is of particular importance for a proposed molecular sensing array.

Terahertz vibrational absorption spectroscopy using microstrip-line waveguides

We demonstrate that terahertz microstrip-line waveguides can be used to measure absorption spectra of polycrystalline materials with a high frequency resolution (∼2 GHz) and with a spatial resolution that is determined by the microstrip-line dimensions, rather than the free-space wavelength. The evanescent terahertz-bandwidth electric field extending above the microstrip line interacts with, and is modified by, overlaid dielectric samples, thus enabling the characteristic vibrational absorption resonances in the sample to be probed. As an example, the terahertz absorption spectrum of polycrystalline lactose monohydrate was investigated; the lowest lying mode was observed at 534(±2) GHz, in excellent agreement with free-space measurements. This microstrip technique offers both a higher spatial and frequency resolution than free-space terahertz time-domain spectroscopy and requires no contact between the waveguide and sample.

Terahertz emission from metal-organic chemical vapor deposition grown Fe:InGaAs using 830 nm to 1.55 μm excitation

We demonstrate the generation of broadband terahertz (THz) frequency radiation from photoconductive emitters formed from Fe-doped InGaAs (Fe:InGaAs), grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition, following pulsed (femtosecond) laser excitation at wavelengths ranging from 830 nm to 1.55 μm. The Fe is incorporated epitaxially during growth, giving precise control over the doping level. Using both single-crystal ZnTe and GaP electro-optic detectors over the same wavelength range, the emission spectra from several Fe:InGaAs wafers with different Fe content were measured, with THz emission from all wafers showing bandwidths in excess of 2.0 THz. The THz output power was found to be strongly dependant on the Fe content, the thickness of the Fe:InGaAs layer, and the excitation wavelength.

Electromagnetic simulation of terahertz frequency range filters for genetic sensing

We report on a numerical study of the sensitivity of electrical terahertz (THz) frequency range passive filters under conditions of dielectric loading. We investigate band-pass filters, ring resonators, and band-stop filters, all of which have been proposed as devices capable of measuring the hybridization state of overlaid DNA films, thereby acting as genetic sensors. The transmission characteristics of these filters are examined when loaded with samples of different relative permittivities and thicknesses, and these results are discussed in the context of recent experimental works. A comparative analysis of the three filter types is performed, and conclusions are drawn on the suitability of the various filters for the analysis of DNA films during genetic testing and other dielectric materials.

Multiple-frequency terahertz pulsed sensing of dielectric films

We report on a technique for the on-chip sensing of dielectric materials in the terahertz frequency range. We show that an array of band-stop filters, excited by integrated ultrafast photoconductive switches, can be used to sense dielectric loading at a number of distinct lithographically defined locations on a chip simultaneously, each location sensing a different terahertz frequency. This technique is expected to have a range of future applications in the field of on-chip terahertz systems, such as the analysis of deoxyribonucleic acid and other molecular films.

Terahertz-frequency photoconductive detectors fabricated from metal-organic chemical vapor deposition-grown Fe-doped InGaAs

We report the detection of terahertz frequency radiation using photoconductive antennas fabricated from Fe-doped InGaAs, grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. Coherent photoconductive detection is demonstrated using femtosecond laser pulses centered at either an 800 or a 1550 nm wavelength. The InGaAs resistivity and the sensitivity of photoconductive detection are both found to depend on the Fe-doping level. We investigate a wide range of probe laser powers, finding a peak in detected signal for ∼5 mW probe power, followed by a reduction at larger powers, attributed to screening of the detected THz field by photo-generated carriers in the material. The measured signal from Fe:InGaAs photoconductive detectors excited at 800 nm is four times greater than that from a low-temperature-grown GaAs photodetector with identical antenna design, despite the use of a ten times smaller probe power.

On-chip terahertz Goubau-line waveguides with integrated photoconductive emitters and mode-discriminating detectors

We have measured the picosecond time-domain response of Goubau-line waveguides, formed on quartz substrates, by integrating regions of low-temperature-grown gallium arsenide into the waveguides to act both as pulsed current emitters and detectors. Using one pair of photoconductive switches for excitation and a second pair for detection, pulsed signal propagation of a low dispersion electric field mode was demonstrated in the Goubau-lines, with the signal bandwidth extending beyond 800 GHz. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that terahertz bandstop filters can be integrated into a Goubau-line for removal of specific frequencies from the transmitted pulses.

On-chip photoconductive excitation and detection of pulsed terahertz radiation at cryogenic temperatures

We report on measurements of the excitation, propagation, and detection of picosecond duration electrical pulses at cryogenic (∼4K) temperatures in a microstrip circuit. A reduction is observed in the measured excitation and propagating pulse widths at low temperatures, compared with room temperature. The results indicate both that the electrical properties of low-temperature-grown GaAs make it suitable for photoconductive excitation and detection in cryogenic optoelectric circuits and that an organic polymer is a good transmissive medium for terahertz (THZ) frequency range excitations at low temperatures. This work will prove an invaluable starting point for future guided wave terahertz experiments at cryogenic temperatures.

Applying broadband terahertz time‐domain spectroscopy to the analysis of crystalline proteins: a dehydration study

The application of terahertz time-domain spectroscopy and imaging to the study of proteins in crystalline form is demonstrated. Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy is particularly sensitive to the long-range ordering of molecules, with proven utility for the spectroscopy of crystalline biological small molecules. Here, the terahertz time-domain absorption response of a macromolecular protein single crystal is investigated for the first time. In particular, the effect of dehydration on the terahertz absorption coefficient of tetragonal hen egg white lysozyme crystals is reported.