Evan Constable

Stacked-and-drawn metamaterials with magnetic resonances in the terahertz range

We present a novel method for producing drawn metamaterials containing slotted metallic cylinder resonators, possessing strong magnetic resonances in the terahertz range. The resulting structures are either spooled to produce a 2-dimensional metamaterial monolayer, or stacked to produce three-dimensional multi-layered metamaterials. We experimentally investigate the effects of the resonator size and number of metamaterial layers on transmittance, observing magnetic resonances between 0.1 and 0.4 THz, in good agreement with simulations. Such fibers promise future applications in mass-produced stacked or woven metamaterials.

Mechanisms of x-ray emission from peeling adhesive tape

It has previously been reported that x-rays are emitted when adhesive tape is peeled in a vacuum but no account of the dependence of the x-ray emission on the pressure of the environment has been given to date. In this paper we present detailed experimental data on the number and angular distribution of x-ray photons as a function of pressure. We find that x-rays are emitted for pressures between p0=10−3 and p1=10−2 mBar, with ∼106 counts/(cm2 s) recorded by a 256×256 pixel2 silicon array sensor placed 35 mm from the tape. The main role of the tape is found to be the build-up of an acceleration potential sufficient to produce x-rays by bremsstrahlung of free electrons in a low-pressure gas. The source of the free electrons is the gas. Our model shows that the production rate of uncompensated tape charge and absorption of positive ions from the gas define p1. The angular distribution of the radiation shows a pressure-independent 20° wide peak in the direction perpendicular to electron motion. Ordinary brem...

Infrared phonon anomaly and magnetic excitations in single-crystal Cu3Bi(SeO3)2O2Cl

Infrared reflection and transmission as a function of temperature have been measured on single crystals of Cu3Bi(SeO3)(2)O2Cl. The complex dielectric function and optical properties along all three principal axes of the orthorhombic cell were obtained via Kramers-Kronig analysis and by fits to a Drude-Lorentz model. Below 115 K, 16 additional modes [8(E parallel to(a) over cap)+ 6(E parallel to(b) over cap)+ 2(E parallel to(c) over cap)] appear in the phonon spectra; however, powder x-ray diffraction measurements do not detect a new structure at 85 K. Potential explanations for the new phonon modes are discussed. Transmission in the far infrared as a function of temperature has revealed magnetic excitations originating below the magnetic ordering temperature (T-c similar to 24 K). The origin of the excitations in the magnetically ordered state will be discussed in terms of their response to different polarizations of incident light, behavior in externally applied magnetic fields, and the anisotropic magnetic properties of Cu3Bi(SeO3)(2)O2Cl as determined by dc susceptibility measurements.

Optical parameters of ZnTe determined using continuous-wave terahertz radiation

The optical parameters of three ZnTe crystal wafers of different thicknesses were determined using transmittance measurements of continuous-wave terahertz radiation from a two-color photomixing source. The parameters are extracted by fitting the transmittance data with theoretical curves generated using a Drude-Lorentz dielectric model of the crystal and a bootstrap statistical analysis of the fits. It was found at room temperature that the low and high frequency dielectric constants are ϵ(0)=9.8±0.2 and ϵ(∞)=7.3±0.6, respectively. The transverse optical phonon frequency was found to be νTO=6.0±1.3 THz. Sample specific properties such as the plasma, collision, and phonon damping frequencies were determined and used for an approximate calculation of carrier concentration. The results are compared with a comprehensive review of earlier values from the literature. Our results are consistent with previous work, falling within the spread of accepted values, and demonstrate that this method is particularly suit...

Spherical, cylindrical and tetrahedral symmetries; hydrogenic states at high magnetic field in Si:P

Phosphorous donors in silicon have an electronic structure that mimics the hydrogen atom, albeit on a larger length, smaller energy and smaller magnetic field scale. While the hydrogen atom is spherically symmetric, an applied magnetic field imposes cylindrical symmetry, and the solid-state analogue involves, in addition, the symmetry of the Si crystal. For one magnetic field direction, all six conduction-band valleys of Si:P become equivalent. New experimental data to high laboratory fields (30 T), supported by new calculations, demonstrate that this high symmetry field orientation allows the most direct comparison with free hydrogen.

THz photomixer with a 40nm-wide nanoelectrode gap on low-temperature grown GaAs

A terahertz (THz or T-rays) photomixer consisting of a meander type antenna with integrated nanoelectrodes on a low temperature grown GaAs (LT-GaAs) is demonstrated. The antenna was designed for molecular fingerprinting and sensing applications within a spectral range of 0.3-0.4 THz. A combination of electron beam lithography (EBL) and focused ion beam (FIB) milling was used to fabricate the T-ray emitter. Antenna and nanoelectrodes were fabricated by standard EBL and lift-off steps. Then a 40-nm-wide gap in an active photomixer area separating the nanoelectrodes was milled by a FIB. The integrated nano-contacts with nano-gaps enhance the illuminated light and THz electric fields as well as contribute to a better collection of photo-generated electrons. T-ray emission power from the fabricated photomixer chips were few hundreds of nanowatts at around 0.15 THz and tens of nanowatts in the 0.3-0.4 THz range.

Direct-drawn metamaterial fibers with magnetic response in the 100GHz range

We present a method for producing metamaterial fibers containing slotted metallic cylinder resonators, possessing strong magnetic responses in the 100GHz range. We characterize different arrays of such fibers, observing magnetic resonances between 100–200GHz.