Design of a Tunable, Room Temperature, Continuous-Wave Terahertz Source and Detector using Silicon Waveguides

Abstract

We describe the design of a silicon-based source for radiation in the 0.5-14 THz regime. This new class of devices will permit continuously tunable, milliwatt scale, cw, room temperature operation, a substantial advance over currently available technologies. Our silicon terahertz generator consists of a silicon waveguide for near-infrared radiation, contained within a metal waveguide for terahertz radiation. A nonlinear polymer cladding permits two near-infrared lasers to mix, and through difference-frequency generation produces terahertz output. The small dimensions of the design greatly increase the optical fields, enhancing the nonlinear effect. The design can also be used to detect terahertz radiation.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 30, 2008
Accession Number
ADA483348

Entities

People

  • A. Scherer
  • M. Hochberg
  • Richard Soref
  • T. Baehr-jones

Organizations

  • Air Force Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Detectors
  • Difference Frequency
  • Electromagnetic Metamaterials
  • Electromagnetic Radiation
  • Electromagnetic Scattering
  • Far Infrared Lasers
  • Frequency
  • Infrared Radiation
  • Lasers
  • Materials Science
  • Near Infrared Radiation
  • Optical Materials
  • Quantum Cascade Lasers
  • Radiation
  • Terahertz Radiation
  • Transmission Lines
  • Tunable Metamaterials

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Integrated Circuit Design and Technology.
  • Optical Physics and Photonics.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy