Interlaced terahertz transceiver using plasmonic resonance
AssigneeUVic Industry Partnerships Inc.
InventorsThomas E. Darcie, Reuven Gordon, Barmak Heshmat
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Abstract
Disclosed are devices and methods for enhancing the performance of photoconductive switches or photomixers used to generate or receive terahertz radiation. An interlaced electrode is used to minimize carrier transit times across an absorbing semiconductor photoconductor. This electrode is designed to support a plasmonic resonance such that coupling of the optical pump signal to the absorbing photoconductor is enhanced.
Claims13
A photoconductive switch for generating or detecting electromagnetic signals using an optical pump signal, comprising:
- a periodically interlaced electrode structure, wherein a gap separating two electrode contacts is substantially less than a wavelength of the optical pump signal;
- and
- wherein the periodicity of the interlaced electrode structure supports a plasmonic resonance that enhances coupling of the optical pump signal through the electrode structure to an absorbing semiconductor substrate.
A method for generating and detecting electromagnetic signals, comprising:
- detecting an optical pump signal on a photoconductive switch, the switch comprising a periodically interlaced electrode structure wherein the gap separating two conductors is substantially less than the wavelength of the optical pump signal;
- and
- wherein the periodicity of the interlaced electrode structure supports a plasmonic resonance at a frequency corresponding to the frequency of the optical pump signal.
A THz transmitter for generating electromagnetic signals, comprising:
- a photoconductive switch, comprising:
- a periodically interlaced electrode structure, wherein a gap separating two electrode contacts is substantially less than a wavelength of an optical pump signal;
- wherein the periodicity of the interlaced electrode structure supports a plasmonic resonance that enhances coupling of the optical pump signal through the electrode structure to an absorbing semiconductor substrate.
A receiver for detecting THz electromagnetic signals, comprising:
- a photoconductive switch that generates a detected signal in response to an optical pump signal,
- the photoconductive switch comprising:
- a periodically interlaced electrode structure, wherein a gap separating two electrode contacts is substantially less than a wavelength of an optical pump signal, wherein the periodicity of the interlaced electrode structure supports a plasmonic resonance that enhances coupling of the optical pump signal through the electrode structure to an absorbing semiconductor substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.