Photoconductive element for generation and detection of terahertz wave

• US 8,067,739 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2008
• Issued: 11/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Itsuji, Takeaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaworecki; Mark R
• Application Number:
  US12/141,005
• Publication Number:
  US 20080315098A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,260 Days
• Field of Search: 250/338.1, 250/338.4, 250/339.01, 250/340, 250/493.1, 250/495.1
• US Class Current: 250/338.4
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/42 Absorption spectrometry; Double beam spectrometry; Flicker spectrometry; Reflection spectrometry beam switching arrangements G01J3/08
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/3534 Three-wave interaction, e.g. sum-difference frequency generation G02F1/3532 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/13 involving THZ radiation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/09 Devices sensitive to infrared, visible or ultraviolet radiation H01L31/101 takes precedence

Abstract

A photoconductive element for generating or detecting a terahertz wave comprises a carrier generation layer for generating carriers on light irradiation, a pair of conductive electrodes provided in opposition on one face of the carrier generation layer, each containing a strip line, a pair of conductive antennas placed in opposition with a gap for light irradiation onto the carrier generation layer, each being joined to the electrodes, a pair of conductive adjusting stubs for adjusting a propagation state of the terahertz wave generated or detected by the carriers, wherein each of the adjusting stubs has a length of not longer than the wavelength λ of the terahertz wave generated by the carriers, and is placed at a distance of not more than the wavelength λ from a joint between the antenna and the electrode.

Claims

1. A photoconductive element for generating or detecting a terahertz wave, comprising:

a carrier generation layer for generating carriers on light irradiation;

a pair of conductive electrodes provided in opposition on one face of the carrier generation layer, each containing a strip line;

a pair of conductive antennas placed in opposition with a gap for light irradiation onto the carrier generation layer, each being joined to the electrodes;

a pair of conductive adjusting stubs for adjusting a propagation state of the terahertz wave generated or detected by the carriers;

wherein each of the adjusting stubs has a length of not longer than the wavelength λ

of the terahertz wave generated by the carriers, and is placed at a distance of not more than the wavelength λ

from a joint between the antenna and the electrode.

2. The photoconductive element according to claim 1, wherein the wavelength λ

is twice the interspace d between the strip lines.

3. An imaging apparatus comprising

a photoconductive element according to claim 1, an ultrashort pulse laser for generating carriers by applying a generating power to the gap of the antenna,

a driver connected to the electrode for controlling a carrier propagation state,

whereby information on an inside structure of a measurement object is obtained by generating a terahertz wave by the photoconductive element and receiving a reflected terahertz wave reflected at the surface layer and a refractive index interface inside.

4. A communication apparatus comprising

a photoconductive element according to claim 1, an ultrashort pulse laser for generating carriers by applying a generating power,

a driver connected to the electrode for controlling a carrier propagation state of the generated carriers,

and a modulator for modulating a signal input to the electrodes by the driver or an output from the ultrashort pulse laser in accordance with the transmitted information;

whereby communication is conducted by use of a terahertz wave having a frequency characteristic localized to reduce a terahertz wave component in the characteristic absorption wavelength band of the atmospheric air in the frequency band of the terahertz wave.

5. A photoconductive element for generating or detecting a terahertz wave, comprising:

a carrier generation layer for generating carriers on light irradiation;

a pair of conductive electrodes provided in opposition on one face of the carrier generation layer, each containing a strip line;

a pair of conductive antennas placed in opposition with a gap for light irradiation onto the carrier generation layer, each being joined to the electrodes;

a pair of conductive adjusting stubs for adjusting a propagation state of the terahertz wave generated or detected by the carriers;

wherein each of the adjusting stubs has a length of not longer than the wavelength λ

of the terahertz wave generated by the carriers, and is joined to extension of the strip line, and the end of the adjusting stub is placed at a distance of not more than the wavelength λ

from a joint between the antenna and the electrode.

6. The photoconductive element according to claim 5, wherein each of the conductive adjusting stubs is joined to extension of the strip line, and has a length ranging from 0.5λ

to 0.8λ

from the joint between the antenna and the electrode, and thereby the pair of the adjusting stubs level a frequency characteristic of the terahertz wave generated or detected by the carriers.

7. The photoconductive element according to claim 5, wherein each of the conductive adjusting stubs is joined to extension of the strip line, and has a length ranging from 0.1λ

to 0.5λ

from the joint between the antenna and the electrode, and thereby the pair of the adjusting stubs localize a frequency characteristic of the terahertz wave generated or detected by the carriers.

8. The photoconductive element according claim 5, wherein the wavelength λ

is twice the interspace d between the strip lines.

9. An imaging apparatus comprising

a photoconductive element according to claim 5, an ultrashort pulse laser for generating carriers by applying a generating power to the gap of the antenna,

a driver connected to the electrode for controlling a carrier propagation state,

whereby information on an inside structure of a measurement object is obtained by generating a terahertz wave by the photoconductive element and receiving a reflected terahertz wave reflected at the surface layer and a refractive index interface inside.

10. A communication apparatus comprising

a photoconductive element according to claim 5, an ultrashort pulse laser for generating carriers by applying a generating power,

a driver connected to the electrode for controlling a carrier propagation state of the generated carriers, and a modulator for modulating a signal input to the electrodes by the driver or an output from the ultrashort pulse laser in accordance with the transmitted information;

whereby communication is conducted by use of a terahertz wave having a frequency characteristic localized to reduce a terahertz wave component in the characteristic absorption wavelength band of the atmospheric air in the frequency band of the terahertz wave.

11. A photoconductive element for generating or detecting a terahertz wave, comprising:

a carrier generation layer for generating carriers on light irradiation;

a pair of conductive electrodes provided on one face of the carrier generation layer and each containing a strip line in opposition;

a pair of conductive antennas placed in opposition with a gap for light irradiation onto the carrier generation layer, and each being joined to the electrodes;

a pair of conductive adjusting stabs for adjusting a propagation state of the terahertz wave generated or detected by the carriers;

wherein each of the adjusting stubs has a length of not longer than the wavelength λ

of the terahertz wave generated by the carriers, and is joined to the electrode at the outside edge of the strip line at a distance of not more than the wavelength λ

from a joint between the antenna and the electrode.

12. The photoconductive element according to claim 11, wherein each of the adjusting stubs has a length ranging from 0.1λ

to 0.2λ

, and is joined to the outside edge of the strip line at a distance equal to the length of the stub from the joint between antenna and the electrode, whereby the adjusting stubs level the frequency characteristic of the terahertz wave generated or detected by the carriers.

13. The photoconductive element according to claim 11, wherein each of the adjusting stubs has a length ranging from 0.2λ

to 0.5λ

, and is joined to the outside edge of the strip line at a distance equal to the length of the stub from the joint between antenna and the electrode, whereby the adjusting stubs localize the frequency characteristic of the terahertz wave generated or detected by the carriers.

14. The photoconductive element according to claim 11, wherein the wavelength λ

is twice the interspace d between the strip lines.

15. An imaging apparatus comprising

a photoconductive element according to claim 11,

an ultrashort pulse laser for generating carriers by applying a generating power to the gap of the antenna,

a driver connected to the electrode for controlling a carrier propagation state,

whereby information on an inside structure of a measurement object is obtained by generating a terahertz wave by the photoconductive element and receiving a reflected terahertz wave reflected at the surface layer and a refractive index interface inside.

16. A communication apparatus comprising

a photoconductive element according to claim 11,

an ultrashort pulse laser for generating carriers by applying a generating power,

a driver connected to the electrode for controlling a carrier propagation state of the generated carriers,

and a modulator for modulating a signal input to the electrodes by the driver or an output from the ultrashort pulse laser in accordance with the transmitted information;

whereby communication is conducted by use of a terahertz wave having a frequency characteristic localized to reduce a terahertz wave component in the characteristic absorption wavelength band of the atmospheric air in the frequency band of the terahertz wave.

17. A photoconductive element for generating or detecting a terahertz wave, comprising a carrier generation layer for generating carriers on irradiation of a beam of light, a first electrode provided on a face of the carrier generation layer, a second electrode provided on the face of the carrier generation layer placed in opposition to the first electrode,

wherein the first electrode and the second electrode have respectively an antenna, the beam of light is projected onto a spot in a gap of the antennas joined to the first electrode and the second electrode, and at least one of the ends of the first electrode and the second electrode is placed at a distance from the spot of the light projection of not longer than twice the interspace d between the first electrode and the second electrode.

18. An imaging apparatus comprising

a photoconductive element according to claim 17,

an ultrashort pulse laser for generating carriers by applying a generating power to the gap of the antenna,

a driver connected to the electrode for controlling a carrier propagation state,

whereby information on an inside structure of a measurement object is obtained by generating a terahertz wave by the photoconductive element and receiving a reflected terahertz wave reflected at the surface layer and a refractive index interface inside.

19. A communication apparatus comprising

a photoconductive element according to claim 17,

an ultrashort pulse laser for generating carriers by applying a generating power,

a driver connected to the electrode for controlling a carrier propagation state of the generated carriers, and a modulator for modulating a signal input to the electrodes by the driver or an output from the ultrashort pulse laser in accordance with the transmitted information;

whereby communication is conducted by use of a terahertz wave having a frequency characteristic localized to reduce a terahertz wave component in the characteristic absorption wavelength band of the atmospheric air in the frequency band of the terahertz wave.

20. A photoconductive element for generating or detecting a terahertz wave, comprising a carrier generation layer for generating carriers on irradiation of a beam of light, a first electrode provided on a face of the carrier generation layer, a second electrode provided on the face of the carrier generation layer placed in opposition to the first electrode,

wherein the first electrode and the second electrode have respectively an antenna, the beam of light is projected onto a spot in a gap of the antennas joined to the first electrode and the second electrode, and a pair of conductive adjusting stubs are placed in opposition on the first electrode and second electrode at a distance from the spot of the light projection of not longer than twice the interspace d between the first electrode and the second electrode.

21. An imaging apparatus comprising

a photoconductive element according to claim 20,

an ultrashort pulse laser for generating carriers by applying a generating power to the gap of the antenna,

a driver connected to the electrode for controlling a carrier propagation state,

whereby information on an inside structure of a measurement object is obtained by generating a terahertz wave by the photoconductive element and receiving a reflected terahertz wave reflected at the surface layer and a refractive index interface inside.

22. A communication apparatus comprising

a photoconductive element according to claim 20,

an ultrashort pulse laser for generating carriers by applying a generating power,

a driver connected to the electrode for controlling a carrier propagation state of the generated carriers,

and a modulator for modulating a signal input to the electrodes by the driver or an output from the ultrashort pulse laser in accordance with the transmitted information;

whereby communication is conducted by use of a terahertz wave having a frequency characteristic localized to reduce a terahertz wave component in the characteristic absorption wavelength band of the atmospheric air in the frequency band of the terahertz wave.

23. A photoconductive element for generating or detecting a terahertz wave, comprising:

a carrier generation layer for generating carriers,

antennas formed from a conductive material in opposition with a gap on the carrier generation layer,

two electrodes containing respectively a strip line formed from a conductive material for controlling a propagation state of the carriers produced in the gap of the antennas,

one or more pairs of adjusting stubs for adjusting the state of the generated or detected terahertz wave,

wherein the antennas are placed between the strip lines and joined to the strip lines, and the one or more pairs of adjusting stubs include at least first adjusting stubs and second adjusting stubs formed from a conductive material having a stub length of not more than the wavelength λ

defined by the interspace between the conductive strip lines,

the first adjusting stubs are placed on extension of the strip lines and having the tip ends at a distance of not more than the wavelength λ

from the joint between the antenna and the electrode, and

the second adjusting stubs are joined to the outside edges of the strip lines at a distance of not more than the wavelength λ

from the joint between the antenna and the electrode.

24. An imaging apparatus comprising

a photoconductive element according to claim 23,

an ultrashort pulse laser for generating carriers by applying a generating power to the gap of the antenna, a driver connected to the electrode for controlling a carrier propagation state,

whereby information on an inside structure of a measurement object is obtained by generating a terahertz wave by the photoconductive element and receiving a reflected terahertz wave reflected at the surface layer and a refractive index interface inside.

25. A communication apparatus comprising

a photoconductive element according to claim 23,

an ultrashort pulse laser for generating carriers by applying a generating power,

a driver connected to the electrode for controlling a carrier propagation state of the generated carriers, and a modulator for modulating a signal input to the electrodes by the driver or an output from the ultrashort pulse laser in accordance with the transmitted information;

whereby communication is conducted by use of a terahertz wave having a frequency characteristic localized to reduce a terahertz wave component in the characteristic absorption wavelength band of the atmospheric air in the frequency band of the terahertz wave.