Chan-Shan Yang

The complex refractive indices of the liquid crystal mixture E7 in the terahertz frequency range

We have used terahertz time-domain spectroscopy to investigate the complex optical constants and birefringence of a widely used liquid crystal mixture E7 in both nematic and isotropic phases (26°C–70°C). The extinction coefficient of E7 at room temperature is less than 0.035 and without sharp absorption features in the frequency range of 0.2–2.0 THz. The extraordinary (ne) and ordinary (no) indices of refraction at 26°C are 1.690–1.704 and 1.557–1.581, respectively, giving rise to a birefringence of 0.130–0.148 in this frequency range. The temperature-dependent (26°C–70°C) order parameter extracted from the birefringence data agrees with that in the visible region quite well. Further, the temperature gradients of the terahertz optical constants of E7 are also determined. The optical constants of E7 in the terahertz or sub-millimeter wave range are found to deviate significantly from values predicated by the usual extended Cauchy equations used in the visible and near-infrared.

An ultrabroad terahertz bandpass filter based on multiple-resonance excitation of a composite metamaterial

We experimentally present an ultrabroad terahertz (THz) bandpass filter based on a composite metamaterial (CMM) by exciting its multiple resonances. This metamaterial-based filter, consisting of a metal-dielectric-metal sandwiched structure, possesses a notable spectral-filtering capability with a 0.5-THz-broad bandwidth and excellent band-edge transitions of 140% THz and 182% THz in the THz-gap region. Furthermore, we manifest the mechanism for each of the resonances and the coupling within the composite metamaterial. This realization enables the capacity for engineering the electromagnetic properties to develop other complex optical functionalities. An example of a high-profile dualband THz bandpass filter is also proposed theoretically in this work.

Voltage-controlled liquid-crystal terahertz phase shifter with indium–tin–oxide nanowhiskers as transparent electrodes

Phase shift exceeding 2π at 1.0 THz with high transmittance was achieved in liquid-crystal THz phase shifters of three different designs. Indium-tin-oxide (ITO) nanowhiskers (NWhs) were employed as transparent electrodes. The driving voltage required for a 2π wave plate is as low as 5 Vrms.

Broadband terahertz conductivity and optical transmission of indium-tin-oxide (ITO) nanomaterials

Indium-tin-oxide (ITO) nanorods (NRs) and nanowhiskers (NWhs) were fabricated by an electron-beam glancing-angle deposition (GLAD) system. These nanomaterials are of interests as transparent conducting electrodes in various devices. Two terahertz (THz) time-domain spectrometers (TDS) with combined spectral coverage from 0.15 to 9.00 THz were used. These allow accurate determination of the optical and electrical properties of such ITO nanomaterials in the frequency range from 0.20 to 4.00 THz. Together with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic (FTIR) measurements, we found that the THz and far-infrared transmittance of these nanomaterials can be as high as 70% up to 15 THz, as opposed to about 9% for sputtered ITO thin films. The complex conductivities of ITO NRs, NWhs as well films are well fitted by the Drude-Smith model. Taking into account that the volume filling factors of both type of nanomaterials are nearly same, mobilities, and DC conductivities of ITO NWhs are higher than those of NRs due to less severe carrier localization effects in the former. On the other hand, mobilities of sputtered ITO thin films are poorer than ITO nanomaterials because of larger concentration of dopant ions in films, which causes stronger carrier scattering. We note further that consideration of the extreme values of Re{σ} and Im{σ} as well the inflection points, which are functions of the carrier scattering time (τ) and the expectation value of cosine of the scattering angle (γ), provide additional criteria for accessing the accuracy of the extraction of electrical parameters of non-Drude-like materials using THz-TDS. Our studies so far indicate ITO NWhs with heights of ~1000 nm show outstanding transmittance and good electrical characteristics for applications such as transparent conducting electrodes of THz Devices.

THz conductivities of indium-tin-oxide nanowhiskers as a graded-refractive-index structure

Indium-tin-oxide (ITO) nanowhiskers with attractive electrical and anti-reflection properties were prepared by the glancing-angle electron-beam evaporation technique. Structural and crystalline properties of such nanostructures were examined by scanning transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Their frequency-dependent complex conductivities, refractive indices and absorption coefficients have been characterized with terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS), in which the nanowhiskers were considered as a graded-refractive-index (GRIN) structure instead of the usual thin film model. The electrical properties of ITO GRIN structures are analyzed and fitted well with Drude-Smith model in the 0.2~2.0 THz band. Our results indicate that the ITO nanowhiskers and its bottom layer atop the substrate exhibit longer carrier scattering times than ITO thin films. This signifies that ITO nanowhiskers have an excellent crystallinity with large grain size, consistent with X-ray data. Besides, we show a strong backscattering effect and fully carrier localization in the ITO nanowhiskers.

Non-Drude Behavior in Indium-Tin-Oxide Nanowhiskers and Thin Films Investigated by Transmission and Reflection THz Time-Domain Spectroscopy

A comparative study of indium-tin-oxide (ITO) nanowhiskers (NWhs) and thin films as transparent conductors in the terahertz frequency range are conducted. We employ both transmission-type and reflection-type terahertz time-domain spectroscopies (THz-TDTS and THz-TDRS) to explore the far-infrared optical properties of these samples. Their electrical properties, such as plasma frequencies and carrier scattering times, are analyzed and found to be fitted well by the Drude-Smith model over 0.1-1.4 THz. Further, structural and crystalline properties of samples are examined by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction, respectively. Non-Drude behavior of complex conductivities in ITO NWhs is attributed to carrier scattering from grain boundaries and impurity ions. In ITO thin films, however, the observed non-Drude behavior is ascribed to scattering by impurity ions only. Considering NWhs and thin films with the same height, mobility of the former is ~ 125 cm2V-1s-1, much larger than those of the ITO thin films, ~ 27 cm2 V-1 s-1. This is attributed to the longer carrier scattering time of the NWhs. The dc conductivities ( ~ 250 Ω-1 cm-1) or real conductivities in the THz frequency region of ITO NWhs is, however, lower than those of the ITO thin films ( ~ 800 Ω-1 cm-1) but adequate for use as electrodes. Partly, this is a reflection of the much higher plasma frequencies of thin films. Significantly, the transmittance of ITO NWhs ( ≅ 60%-70%) is much higher ( ≅ 13 times) than those of ITO thin films in the THz frequency range. The underneath basic physics is that the THz radiation can easily propagate through the air-space among NWhs. The superb transmittance and adequate electrical properties of ITO NWhs suggest their potential applications as transparent conducting electrodes in THz devices.

Liquid crystal terahertz phase shifters with functional indium-tin-oxide nanostructures for biasing and alignment

Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) nanowhiskers (NWhs) obliquely evaporated by electron-beam glancing-angle deposition can serve simultaneously as transparent electrodes and alignment layer for liquid crystal (LC) devices in the terahertz (THz) frequency range. To demonstrate, we constructed a THz LC phase shifter with ITO NWhs. Phase shift exceeding π/2 at 1.0 THz was achieved in a ∼517 μm-thick cell. The phase shifter exhibits high transmittance (∼78%). The driving voltage required for quarter-wave operation is as low as 5.66 V (rms), compatible with complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) and thin-film transistor (TFT) technologies.

Characterization and Comparison of GaAs/AlGaAs Uni-Traveling Carrier and Separated-Transport-Recombination Photodiode Based High-Power Sub-THz Photonic Transmitters

We describe in detail the characterization of two high-power photonic transmitters based on two different kinds of high-power photodiodes, one a GaAs/AlGaAs based uni-traveling-carrier photodiode (UTC-PD) and the other a separated- transport-recombination photodiode (STR-PD). The diodes operate under optical pulse excitation at the 800 nm wavelength. Both PDs have the same total depletion layer thickness (same theoretical RC-limited bandwidth) and are monolithically integrated with the same broadband micro-machined circular disk monopole antennas to radiate strong sub-THz pulses. However the STR-PD based transmitter exhibits very different dynamic and static performance from that of the UTC-PD based transmitter due to the existence of a low-temperature-grown GaAs (LTG-GaAs) based recombination center inside the active region, and the much thinner thickness of effective depletion layer. Under optical pulse excitation (~ 480 pJ/pulse), the STR-PD based transmitter exhibits a much lower maximum averaged output photocurrent (1.2 mA versus 0.3 mA) than that of the UTC-PD transmitter, although the radiated electrical pulse-width and maximum peak-power, which are measured by the same THz time-domain spectroscopic (TDS) system, of both devices are comparable. These results indicate that although the recombination center in the STR-PD degrades its DC responsivity, it effectively improves the high-speed and output power performance of the device and eliminates the DC component of the photocurrent, which should minimize device-heating problem during high-power operation. The radiated waveforms of both devices under intense optical pulse illumination also exhibit excellent linearity and strong bias dependent magnitude. This suggests their suitability for application as photonic emitters and possibly as a data modulator in sub-THz impulse-radio communication systems.

Liquid-Crystal Terahertz Quarter-Wave Plate Using Chemical-Vapor-Deposited Graphene Electrodes

Quarter-wave operation or a phase shift of more than π/2, which is approximately ten times greater than that reported in previous works using liquid crystals (LCs) and graphene electrodes, was demonstrated. The device is transparent to the terahertz (THz) wave, and the driving voltage required was as low as approximately 2.2 V (rms), which is also unprecedented. Experimental results supported a theoretical formalism adapted for LC cells with THz wavelength-scale thickness. The scattering rate, DC mobility, and carrier mean free path of bilayer graphene were also determined using THz spectroscopic techniques; the parameters were inferior to those of monolayer graphene. This observation can be attributed to the higher density of charged impurities in the bilayer graphene. The device performances of LC phase shifters using monolayer and bilayer graphene as electrodes were essentially identical.

Effects of two-photon absorption on terahertz radiation generated by femtosecond-laser excited photoconductive antennas

Terahertz (THz) radiation can be generated more efficiently from a low-temperature-grown GaAs (LT-GaAs) photoconductive (PC) antenna by considering the two-photon absorption (TPA) induced photo-carrier in the photoconductor. A rate-equation-based approach using the Drude-Lorentz model taking into account the band-diagram of LT-GaAs is used for the theoretical analysis. The use of transform-limited pulses at the PC antenna is critical experimentally. Previously unnoticed THz pulse features and anomalously increasing THz radiation power rather than saturation were observed. These are in good agreement with the theoretical predictions. The interplay of intensity dependence and dynamics of generation of photoexcited carriers by single-photon absorption and TPA for THz emission is discussed.