Study of High-Power Wideband Terahertz-Pulse Generation Using Integrated High-Speed Photoconductive Semiconductor Switches

• Published in: IEEE transactions on plasma science Vol. 37; no. 1; pp. 219 - 228
• Main Authors: Kirawanich, P., Yakura, S.J., Islam, N.E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.01.2009; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Acceleration; Antennas; Character generation; Devices; Dipole antennas; Electromagnetic coupling; Electromagnetics; Exact sciences and technology; Finite difference methods; Finite element analysis; Finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method; high-power photoconductive antenna; Mathematical analysis; Maxwell equations; Nonlinear equations; Photoconducting devices; Physics; Physics of gases, plasmas and electric discharges; Physics of plasmas and electric discharges; Plasma physics; Plasma properties; Radiators; Semiconductors; Simulation; Switches; terahertz (THz)-pulse generation; Three dimensional; Time domain analysis; Transport properties; Wideband; high-power photoconductive antenna; terahertz (THz)-pulse generation; Finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method; Pulse generation; High power; Semiconductor materials; Power spectra; Bias voltage; Plasma transport processes; Maxwell equations; Comparative study; Transients
• ISSN: 0093-3813; 1939-9375
• DOI: 10.1109/TPS.2008.2006978

A 3-D finite-difference time-domain analysis of a photoconductive-semiconductor-switch-based terahertz (THz) source, integrated with a standard dipole and a large-aperture radiator, is presented. The simulation analysis is based on the coupling of semiconductor equations for charge transport with Maxwell electromagnetic equations. The simulation provides the transient field redistribution, carrier generation characteristics, and the field acceleration as a result of the bias voltage on the device, contributing to the nonlinear behavior of THz-pulse generation. A comparison of the radiation characteristics of the two antenna types shows that the large-aperture antenna produces approximately three times higher radiation amplitude and broader power spectrum than those produced by the dipole antenna.