Terahertz Plasmonic Quantum Cascade Lasers: a Comprehensive Physics Study

Generation of terahertz (THz) radiation has been a hot research topic in recent years. Plasmonic quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) are among the most compact and efficient sources to generate THz radiation. In this paper, we comprehensively study plasmonic QCLs designed based on the antenna-feedback structure to generate efficient radiation about the center frequency of 3 THz. By changing the geometric structure of the plasmonic cavity and using two-dimensional simulation, a minimum loss less than 5.9 cm^?1 is achieved at the lasing frequency. It is also possible to control the orientation of the output beam either vertically or tilted by changing the geometry of the antenna design via chirped or non-chirped grating scheme. Moreover, the output characteristics of the QCL are simulated based on the three-level rate equations through which the dynamics of the laser, as well as the P-I curve, are investigated. Also, the gain spectra for two laser designs (with chirped and non-chirped gratings) are simulated and compared to each other. The results of this paper may provide deep insight into designing efficient laser sources in the THz region.

     

Simulation,Fabrication and Characterization of THz Metamaterial Absorbers

Metamaterials (MM), artificial materials engineered to have properties that may not be found in nature, have been widely explored since the first theoretical¹ and experimental demonstration² of their unique properties. MMs can provide a highly controllable electromagnetic response, and to date have been demonstrated in every technologically relevant spectral range including the optical³, near IR⁴, mid IR⁵ , THz⁶ , mm-wave⁷ , microwave⁸ and radio⁹ bands. Applications include perfect lenses¹⁰, sensors¹¹, telecommunications¹², invisibility cloaks¹³ and filters^14,15. We have recently developed single band¹⁶, dual band¹⁷ and broadband¹⁸ THz metamaterial absorber devices capable of greater than 80% absorption at the resonance peak. The concept of a MM absorber is especially important at THz frequencies where it is difficult to find strong frequency selective THz absorbers¹⁹. In our MM absorber the THz radiation is absorbed in a thickness of ~ λ/20, overcoming the thickness limitation of traditional quarter wavelength absorbers. MM absorbers naturally lend themselves to THz detection applications, such as thermal sensors, and if integrated with suitable THz sources (e.g. QCLs), could lead to compact, highly sensitive, low cost, real time THz imaging systems.     

Optical Constants of Two Typical Liquid Crystals 5CB and PCH5 in the THz Frequency Range

The complex refractive indices of two benchmark nematic liquid crystal,4-4 -n-pentyl-cyanobiphenyl (5CB) and 4-(trans-4pentylcyclohexyl)-benzonitrile (PCH5) have been determinedin the frequency range from 0.2 to 0.8 THz. The technique of coherent THztime-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) was used. We show that the birefringenceof 5CB is in the range of 0.15 to 0.21, while that of PCH is from 0.01 to0.08. Both liquid crystals exhibit relatively small absorption in thisfrequency range. The large birefringence of 5CB indicates possible applications of liquid-crystal-based devices for modulation and polarizationcontrol of electromagnetic radiation in the THz frequency range.     

A Tunable Ultra-Broadband Metamaterial Absorber with Multilayered Structure

In this article, we demonstrate a tunable ultra-broadband metamaterial absorber (TUMA) in terahertz (THz) band which is based on the multilayered structure composed of an Au reflective layer, polyimide dielectric layers, and vanadium dioxide (VO₂) periodic structures, respectively. We gain the tunable absorption spectra because of the room temperature phased-changed character of VO2. The relative bandwidth reaches to 81.2% and the absorption rate is over 90% at the frequency range of 1.63–3.86 THz when the temperature (t₁) is 350 K, but when t₁ = 300 K, the presented absorber is acted as a reflector whose absorption is small besides the frequency points of 9.75 THz and 9.81 THz. For the sake of comprehending the physical mechanism in-depth, the electric field (E-field) diagrams, the surface current distributions and the power loss density (PLD) of the TUMA are investigated. The influences of structural arguments and incident angle (θ) on the absorption are also analyzed. The emulated consequences show that the absorption spectrum can be regulated by changing structural parameters and incident angle and the tunable absorption regions can be obtained by altering the external temperature.

     

Non-local Quantum Plasmon Resonance in Ultra-small Silver Nanoparticles

Understanding the mechanisms of light–matter interactions in ultra-small plasmonic nanoparticles (USNP) represents a major challenge because of the importance of size dependence and quantum effects. The plasmon resonance in such small metallic nanoparticles (< 5 nm) exhibits substantial deviation from classical theory predictions, with evident frequency shifts to a higher energy. This is due to the quantum nature of the free charge carriers and the dynamic response of metallic nanoparticle to the self-consistent electromagnetic fields. Such phenomena have so far been poorly understood in experiments while classical theory has mostly focused on nanostructures and sidestepped the size dependence. Here we report a quantum mechanical model of the metal permittivity to describe the USNP behaviour and experimental evidence. The proposed non-local quantum model of the permittivity for the propagation of plasmon waves in quantum-confined silver nanoparticles has no size limitations in the UNSP range.

     

Electron Cloud Density Generated by Microring-Embedded Nano-grating System

We propose the use of the electron cloud generated by quasi-particle waves called polariton dipoles, which oscillated within a silicon microring-embedded gold grating system for quantum consciousness processing model. An embedded gold grating is coupled by a whispering gallery mode beam generated by a soliton pulse, from which the polariton waves oscillated with the plasma frequency at the Bragg wavelength. The excited polariton cloud by the external stimuli can be detected at the system output ports. The two states of the polariton (electron) are spin-up and spin-down that can process automatically and deliver to the network and cloud. In manipulation, the results obtained show the electron density increased by increasing the input power into the system. In application, the cell polariton cloud coupled by the external stimuli and patterned by the quantum cellular automata results, which localized in the cloud network and connected to the nerve cell access nodes. The coded polaritons connected to the nerve cell memory clouds, while the required commands are delivered to resonant cells via the network link. More stenographic codes can also be generated by other external stimuli sources, which can process similarly.

     

Effects of 100 GHz radiation on alkaline phosphatase activity and antigen–antibody interaction

Equipment that generates microwave radiation (MWR) spanning the frequency range of 300 MHz–100 GHz is becoming more common. While MWR lacks sufficient energy to break chemical bonds, the disagreement as to whether MWR exposure is detrimental to cellular dysfunction may be difficult to clarify using complex systems such as whole animals, cells, or cell extracts. Recently, the high frequency range of terahertz (THz) radiation has been explored and sources of radiation and its detectors have been developed. THz radiation is associated with the frequency interval from 100 GHz to 20 THz and constitutes the next frontier in imaging science and technology. In the present study, we investigated the effect of radiation in the low frequency THz range (100 GHz) on two defined molecular interactions. First, the interaction of soluble or immobilized calf alkaline phosphatase with the substrate p‐nitrophenylphosphate and second, the interaction between an antibody (mouse monoclonal anti‐DNP) and its antigen (DNP). Irradiation of enzyme either prior to addition of substrate or during the enzymatic reaction resulted in small but significant reductions in enzyme activity. These differences were not observed if the enzyme had previously been immobilized onto plastic microwells. Exposure of immobilized antigen to radiation did not influence the ability of the antigen to interact with antibody. However, irradiation appeared to decrease the stability of previously formed antigen–antibody complexes. Our data suggest that 100 GHz radiation can induce small but statistically significant alterations in the characteristics of these two types of biomolecular interactions. Bioelectromagnetics 30:167–175, 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Multiband Terahertz Metamaterial Absorber Based on Multipolar Plasmonic Resonances

Terahertz metamaterial absorbers (MMA) have found wide scope of research prospective, remarkably in the development of multiband absorbers. Considerable applications are established using these multiband absorbers in THz imaging, wireless communication and bolometric detectors. The MMA was built on a GaAs substrate of 30 µm thickness and the hexagonal metallic pattern was etched out on a gold layer of 0.4 µm thickness on the top surface. The underlying ground layer is metallic backed. This design realizes the multiband (9-bands) of absorption in the spectral region from 0.56 to 0.92 THz. The multiband absorption mechanism of the absorber was examined by electric field dispersion analysis and impedance matching concept. From the established results, the absorber exhibits nine bands within a narrow frequency range and secures promising applications in hyperspectral imaging, clinical sensing and detection.

     

Design,Fabrication, and Experimental Characterization of Plasmonic Photoconductive Terahertz Emitters

In this video article we present a detailed demonstration of a highly efficient method for generating terahertz waves. Our technique is based on photoconduction, which has been one of the most commonly used techniques for terahertz generation ^1-8. Terahertz generation in a photoconductive emitter is achieved by pumping an ultrafast photoconductor with a pulsed or heterodyned laser illumination. The induced photocurrent, which follows the envelope of the pump laser, is routed to a terahertz radiating antenna connected to the photoconductor contact electrodes to generate terahertz radiation. Although the quantum efficiency of a photoconductive emitter can theoretically reach 100%, the relatively long transport path lengths of photo-generated carriers to the contact electrodes of conventional photoconductors have severely limited their quantum efficiency. Additionally, the carrier screening effect and thermal breakdown strictly limit the maximum output power of conventional photoconductive terahertz sources. To address the quantum efficiency limitations of conventional photoconductive terahertz emitters, we have developed a new photoconductive emitter concept which incorporates a plasmonic contact electrode configuration to offer high quantum-efficiency and ultrafast operation simultaneously. By using nano-scale plasmonic contact electrodes, we significantly reduce the average photo-generated carrier transport path to photoconductor contact electrodes compared to conventional photoconductors ⁹. Our method also allows increasing photoconductor active area without a considerable increase in the capacitive loading to the antenna, boosting the maximum terahertz radiation power by preventing the carrier screening effect and thermal breakdown at high optical pump powers. By incorporating plasmonic contact electrodes, we demonstrate enhancing the optical-to-terahertz power conversion efficiency of a conventional photoconductive terahertz emitter by a factor of 50 ¹⁰.     

Nano-Scale THz Wave Propagating with Ultra-Low Loss

A metal nanowire placed in a dielectric hole is proposed to guide THz modified surface plasmon polaritons (MSPPs). In theory, the MSPP waveguide can guide THz wave with nano-scale mode width (570 nm) and simultaneously ultra-long propagation distance (2.4 m). Compared with conventional surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) on a bare metal nanowire, the MSPPs’ mode nanoconfinement can be maintained by keeping a part of the mode field nearly unchanged. On the other hand, by modifying the rest of the mode field, the THz power inside the metal nanowire can be significantly reduced for MSPPs, which dramatically decreases the propagation loss (3 orders of magnitude).

     

Resonance Bandwidth Controllable Adjustment of Electromagnetically Induced Transparency-like Using Terahertz Metamaterial

In the fields of communication and sensing, resonance bandwidth is a very critical index. It is very meaningful to implement a broadband resonance device with a simple metamaterial structure in the terahertz band. In this paper, we propose a simple metamaterial structure which consists of one horizontal metal strip and two vertical metal strips. This structure can achieve an electromagnetically induced transparency-like (EIT-like) effect in the frequency range of 0.1~3.0 THz to obtain a transparent window with a resonance bandwidth as high as 1.212 THz. When the relative distance between two vertical metal strips is changed, the bandwidth can be effectively controlled. Furthermore, we found that the EIT-like effect can be actively adjusted by replacing vertical metal strips with photosensitive silicon.

     

Ultrahigh-Q and Polarization-Independent Terahertz Metamaterial Perfect Absorber

Ensuring a good trade-off between high-quality factor (Q-factor) and polarization independency is a key challenge for designing practicable terahertz metamaterial devices. We propose a symmetric composite aluminum-structured metamaterial absorber to achieve high Q-factor beyond 80 and near-unity absorbance of arbitrary polarization waves in the terahertz regime. Ultrahigh Q-factor reaches 84, and polarization-independent absorption is as high as 99% for resonant frequency tuning from 7.58 to 8.97 THz, covering 14% of the standard THz gap. The geometric effect of the symmetric sublattice on resonant frequency tuning is analyzed. The large Q-factor and strong absorption by oblique incidence is discussed. Designed high-Q metamaterial perfect absorber has various applications, including terahertz hyperspectral imaging, filtering, and sensing.

     

Miniaturized Five-Band Perfect Metamaterial THz Absorber with Small Frequency Ratio

A five-band polarization-insensitive perfect metamaterial absorber (PMA) is reported in this paper for THz detection and sensing applications. The proposed absorber is constructed using interconnected circular ring elements enclosed by a square loop. The ring elements are interconnected using short strip lines which increases the electrical length to offer resonance at the lower frequencies of the THz regime without increasing the electrical length. The proposed absorber has a footprint of 0.12 λ_eff?×?0.12 λ_eff where λ_eff is the effective wavelength calculated at the lowest operating frequency. The absorber provides 92%, 84%, 90%, 100%, and 100% absorption at 0.24, 0.56, 0.65, 0.82, and 0.95 THz, respectively. The proposed structure offers structural symmetry, and hence, it is polarization-insensitive. The proposed five-band absorber has good angular stability consistent with many research works reported in the literature and has a small frequency ratio of 1:2.3:2.7:3.4:3.9. The proposed absorber can be used as a permittivity sensor and its sensitivity is estimated to vary from 5.8 GHz/permittivity unit (PU) to 23.56 GHz/PU.

     

Theoretical Investigation of Plasmonic Properties of Quantum-Sized Silver Nanoparticles

Plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs) like silver (Ag) strongly absorb the incident light and produce enhanced localized electric field at the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) frequency. Enormous theoretical and experimental research has focused on the plasmonic properties of the metallic nanoparticles with sizes greater than 10 nm. However, such studies on smaller sized NPs in the size range of 3 to 10 nm (quantum-sized regime) are sparse. In this size regime, the conduction band of the metal particles discretizes, thus altering plasmon properties of the NPs from classical to the quantum regime. In this study, plasmonic properties of the spherical Ag NPs in size range of 3 to 20 nm were investigated using both quantum and classical modeling to understand the importance of invoking quantum regime to accurately describing their properties in this size regime. Theoretical calculations using standard Mie theory were carried out to monitor the LSPR peak shift and electric field enhancement as a function of the size of the bare plasmonic nanoparticle and the refractive index (RI) of the surrounding medium. Comparisons were made with and without invoking quantum regime. Also, the optical properties of metallic NPs conjugated with a chemical ligand using multi-layered Mie theory were studied, and interesting trends were observed.

     

Design of a Frequency Reconfigurable Broadband THz Antenna Based on the Vanadium Dioxide

In this article, the design of a frequency reconfigurable broadband THz antenna based on vanadium dioxide (VO₂) is investigated. Instead of being fed by the microstrip line directly, a windmill-shaped feeding structure is designed to provide a proximity-coupled feeding method. Many modes with contiguous resonant frequencies can be excited to obtain the wideband performance. The proposed antenna combines gold with metamaterial VO₂. Thanks to insulator-metal phase transition characteristic of VO₂ at phase transition temperature (68 °C), we can change the length of the resonant branches to realize frequency reconfiguration by changing the external temperature (T). The simulated results illustrate that when T = 50 °C (State I), such an antenna has a bandwidth of 35.2% (7.01–10 THz) with S₁₁ below − 10 dB, and a maximum gain of 6.62 dBic. When T = 80 °C (State II), it has a bandwidth of 21.8% (5.77–7.18 THz) with S₁₁ below − 10 dB, and a maximum gain of 4.49 dBic. Thus, we realize a design of a proximity-coupled antenna with reconfigurable wideband over the THz band.

     

Boosting Power‐Generating Performance of Triboelectric Nanogenerators via Artificial Control of Ferroelectric Polarization and Dielectric Properties

Low output current represents a critical challenge that has interrupted the use of triboelectric nanogenerators (TNGs) in a wide range of applications as sustainable power sources. Many approaches (e.g., operation at high frequency, parallel stacks of individual devices, and hybridization with other energy harvesters) remain limited in solving the challenge of low output current from TNGs. Here, a nanocomposite material system having a superior surface charge density as a triboelectric active material is reported. The nanocomposite material consists of a high dielectric ceramic material, barium titanate, showing great charge‐trapping capability, together with a ferroelectric copolymer matrix, Poly(vinylidenefluoride‐co‐trifluoroethylene) (P(VDF‐TrFE)), with electrically manipulated polarization with strong triboelectric charge transfer characteristics. Based on a contact potential difference study showing that poled P(VDF‐TrFE) has 18 times higher charge attracting properties, a fraction between two components is optimized. Boosting power‐generating performance is achieved for 1130 V of output voltage and 1.5 mA of output current with this ferroelectric composite‐based TNG, under 6 kgf of pushing force at 5 Hz. An enormously faster charging property than traditional polymer film‐based TNGs is demonstrated in this study. Finally, the charging of a self‐powering smartwatch with a charging management circuit system with no external power sources is demonstrated successfully.     

A Newfangled Terahertz Absorber Tuned Temper by Temperature Field Doped by the Liquid Metal

In this article, a terahertz absorber tuned by temperature field with a newfangled structure is presented, which comprises the mercury resonators. In this scheme, temperature (T) build-up will lead the mercury stored in the bottom slot to expand through the columniform hole and be full of the upper central cross container, which can transform the absorption bands of such an absorber. The simulated results manifest that when T is increased from 0 to 25 °C, the dual-frequency absorption points (2.59 THz, 3.03 THz) and a narrow absorption region over 90% (6.54–7.10 THz), whose relative bandwidth (RB) is 7.9%, will be tailored to a single-frequency point absorption (3.12 THz) and a broadband absorption area (6.00–7.21 THz, and RB = 18.3%). For figuring out the property of the absorber mentioned above, the impacts of incident and polarization angles along with some relevant parameters of the structure on the absorption property are investigated. In addition, for plainly expounding the physical mechanism of absorption, the distributions of the surface current diagrams of the presented absorber are calculated, as well as the electric field diagrams, the magnetic field diagrams, the power loss density diagrams, and the power flow density diagrams. The proffered scheme in this article may offer a novel idea for realizing the reconfigurable absorbers.

     

Active Focal Length Control of Terahertz Slitted Plane Lenses by Magnetoplasmons

Active plasmonic devices are mostly designed at visible frequencies. Here, we propose an active terahertz (THz) plasmonic lens tuned by an external magnetic field. Unlike other tunable devices where the tuning is achieved by changing the plasma frequency of materials, the proposed active lens is tuned by changing the cyclotron frequency through manipulating magnetoplasmons (MPs). We have theoretically investigated the dispersion relation of MPs of a semiconductor?Cinsulator?Csemiconductor structure in the Voigt configuration and systematically designed several lenses realized with a doped semiconductor slab perforated with sub-wavelength slits. It is shown through finite?Cdifference time?Cdomain simulations that THz wave propagating through the designed structure can be focused to a small size spot via the control of MPs. The tuning range of the focal length under the applied magnetic field (up to 1?T) is ??3??, about 50% of the original focal length. Various lenses, including one with two focal spots and a tunable lens for dipole source imaging, are realized for the proposed structure, demonstrating the flexibility of the design approach. The proposed tunable THz plasmonic lenses may find applications in THz science and technology such as THz imaging.     

Dimensionally Engineered Perovskite Heterostructure for Photovoltaic and Optoelectronic Applications

Although 2D|3D has shown potential for application in multifunctional devices, the principle of operation for multifunction devices (SOLAR Cell‐LED: SOLED) has not yet been revealed. However, most studies have reported that the devices have only one auspicious characteristic. Here in this study the SOLED devices are monitored and investigated in a 2D|3D heterostructure with a multidimensional perovskite. It is fond that a 2D|3D heterostructure with a multidimensional perovskite interface induces carrier transmission from the interface, increasing the density of electrons and holes, and increasing their recombination. An interface‐engineered perovskite 2D|3D‐heterojunction structure is employed to realize the multifunctional photonic device in on‐chip, exhibiting overall power conversion efficiencies of photovoltaics up to 21.02% under AM1.5, and external quantum efficiency of the light‐emitting diode up to 5.13%. This novel phenomenon is attributed to carrier transfer resulting in a high carrier density and enhanced carrier recombination at the 2D|3D interface.     

Phototactic responses of anuran amphibians to monochromatic stimuli of equal quantum intensity

The phototactic responses of anuran amphibians to narrow-band monochromatic stimuli of equal quantum intensity were measured for the first time in eight new experiments. The unimodal spectral response, obtained from dark-adapted American toads (Bufo americanus), peaks near 626 THz of frequency (480 nm wavelength). The bimodal, U-shaped spectral response, obtained from dark-adapted tailed frogs (Ascaphus truei), has the anti-mode at about 589 THz (510 nm) and is not merely the spectral mirror-image of the unimodal response. Absolute level of the spectral stimuli of equal quantum intensity did not affect the spectral response of dark-adapted toads, but light-adaptation enhanced a component that has the same spectral peak as the visual pigment absorption spectrum of principal and single cones of the frog's retina.