Semiconductor Terahertz Technology

Key advances in Semiconductor Terahertz (THz) Technology now promises important new applications enabling scientists and engineers to overcome the challenges of accessing the so-called "terahertz gap". This pioneering reference explains the fundamental methods and surveys innovative techniques in the generation, detection and processing of THz waves with solid-state devices, as well as illustrating their potential applications in security and telecommunications, among other fields. With contributions from leading experts, Semiconductor Terahertz Technology: Devices and Systems at Room Temperature Operation comprehensively and systematically covers semiconductor-based room temperature operating sources such as photomixers, THz antennas, radiation concepts and THz propagation as well as room-temperature operating THz detectors. The second part of the book focuses on applications such as the latest photonic and electronic THz systems as well as emerging THz technologies including: whispering gallery resonators, liquid crystals, metamaterials and graphene-based devices. This book will provide support for practicing researchers and professionals and will be an indispensable reference to graduate students in the field of THz technology. Key features: Includes crucial theoretical background sections to photomixers, photoconductive switches and electronic THz generation & detection. Provides an extensive overview of semiconductor-based THz sources and applications. Discusses vital technologies for affordable THz applications. Supports teaching and studying increasingly popular courses on semiconductor THz technology.

This work presents the first comprehensive treatment of high-power terahertz applications to semiconductors and low-dimensional semiconductor structures. Terahertz properties of semiconductors are in the centre of scientific activities because of the need of high-speed electronics.

Key advances in Semiconductor Terahertz (THz) Technology now promises important new applications enabling scientists and engineers to overcome the challenges of accessing the so-called "terahertz gap". This pioneering reference explains the fundamental methods and surveys innovative techniques in the generation, detection and processing of THz waves with solid-state devices, as well as illustrating their potential applications in security and telecommunications, among other fields. With contributions from leading experts, Semiconductor Terahertz Technology: Devices and Systems at Room Temperature Operation comprehensively and systematically covers semiconductor-based room temperature operating sources such as photomixers, THz antennas, radiation concepts and THz propagation as well as room-temperature operating THz detectors. The second part of the book focuses on applications such as the latest photonic and electronic THz systems as well as emerging THz technologies including: whispering gallery resonators, liquid crystals, metamaterials and graphene-based devices. This book will provide support for practicing researchers and professionals and will be an indispensable reference to graduate students in the field of THz technology. Key features: Includes crucial theoretical background sections to photomixers, photoconductive switches and electronic THz generation & detection. Provides an extensive overview of semiconductor-based THz sources and applications. Discusses vital technologies for affordable THz applications. Supports teaching and studying increasingly popular courses on semiconductor THz technology.

The last research frontier in high frequency electronics now lies in the so-called THz (or submillimeter-wave) regime between the traditional microwave and infrared domains. Significant scientific and technical challenges within the terahertz (THz) frequency regime have recently motivated an array of new research activities. During the last few years, major research programs have emerged that are focused on advancing the state of the art in THz frequency electronic technology and on investigating novel applications of THz frequency sensing. This book serves as a detailed reference for the new THz frequency technological advances that are emerging across a wide spectrum of sensing and technology areas.

The recent development of easy-to-use sources and detectors of terahertz radiation has enabled growth in applications of terahertz (Thz) imaging and sensing. This vastly adaptable technology offers great potential across a wide range of areas, and the Handbook of terahertz technology for imaging, sensing and communications explores the fundamental principles, important developments and key applications emerging in this exciting field. Part one provides an authoritative introduction to the fundamentals of terahertz technology for imaging, sensing and communications. The generation, detection and emission of waves are discussed alongside fundamental aspects of surface plasmon polaritons, terahertz near-field imaging and sensing, room temperature terahertz detectors and terahertz wireless communications. Part two goes on to discuss recent progress and such novel techniques in terahertz technology as terahertz bio-sensing, array imagers, and resonant field enhancement of terahertz waves. Fiber-coupled time-domain spectroscopy systems (THz-TDS), terahertz photomixer systems, terahertz nanotechnology, frequency metrology and semiconductor material development for terahertz applications are all reviewed. Finally, applications of terahertz technology are explored in part three, including applications in tomographic imaging and material spectroscopy, art conservation, and the aerospace, wood products, semiconductor and pharmaceutical industries. With its distinguished editor and international team of expert contributors, the Handbook of terahertz technology for imaging, sensing and communications is an authoritative guide to the field for laser engineers, manufacturers of sensing devices and imaging equipment, security companies, the military, professionals working in process monitoring, and academics interested in this field. Examines techniques for the generation and detection of terahertz waves Discusses material development for terahertz applications Explores applications in tomographic imaging, art conservation and the pharmaceutical and aerospace industries

Terahertz technology has moved on from being a useful but expensive circuit technique, applied largely in astronomy and space science, to become a subject in its own right, with important applications - terahertz imaging in particular. Indeed, the driving force in terahertz technology is currently imaging and spectroscopy. We now have the means to obtain images and chemical information in this frequency band. The images reproduced in this volume are striking and, not surprisingly, the clinical and analytical uses are the subject of intense activity. There is still, however, no complete range of active THz electronic components, but an encouraging conclusion of the book is that THz electronics will become necessary in communications systems in the foreseeable future. Terahertz technology has come of age, and the future lies open to new, exciting science and vital applications.

The last research frontier in high frequency electronics lies in the so-called terahertz (or submillimeter wave) regime, between the traditional microwave and the infrared domains. Significant scientific and technical challenges within the terahertz (THz) frequency regime have recently motivated an array of new research activities. During the last few years, major research programs have emerged that are focused on advancing the state of the art in THz frequency electronic technology and on investigating novel applications of THz frequency sensing. This book provides a detailed review of the new THz frequency technological developments that are emerging across a wide spectrum of sensing and technology areas.Volume II presents cutting edge results in two primary areas: (1) research that is attempting to establish THz-frequency sensing as a new characterization tool for chemical, biological and semiconductor materials, and (2) theoretical and experimental efforts to define new device concepts within the ?THz gap?.

Das Gebiet der Bio-Sensorik wird für die Medizin und die biologische Grundlagenforschung immer bedeutender. In diesen Bereichen ist die Untersuchung charakteristischer Eigenschaften von Membranproteinen unerlässlich, da sie die Kommunikation und Aktivität biologischer Zellen verantworten. Darüber hinaus steuern sie den Transport verschiedener Substanzen in die Zelle und eignen sich als Ziel von Medikamenten. Diese Art von Proteinen weisen charakterisitsche Resonanzen zwischen 200GHz und 2 THz auf. In dieser Arbeit wird das Design von gekoppelten plasmonischen THz-Antennen gezeigt. Diese Antennen bestehen aus hochdotiertem Germanium auf einem Siliziumsubstrat und verfügen über eine Resonanzfrequenz von 500 GHz. Sie bieten eine hohe Empfindlichkeit für dünne Schichten in einer wässrigen Lösung und eignen sich für die Charakterisierung von Proteinen im THz-Bereich. Der Entwurf dieser Antennen wird mithilfe von Finite-Elemente-Simulationen durchgeführt. Da solch ein Entwurf einen hohen Rechenaufwand umfasst, wird ein weiterer Ansatz gezeigt. Die plasmonische Antenne wird als RLC-Schwingkreis beschrieben, was Designs mit analytischen Berechnungen ermöglicht. Aufgrund dieser Berschreibung kann eine Anpassung der Impedanz zwischen Antenne und Biomolekül durchgeführt werden, wodurch die Struktur weiter optimiert wird. Neben dem THz-Bereich wird auch der Infrarot-Bereich untersucht. Dort sind Proteinbindungsprozesse zu beobachten. In dieser Arbeit wird eine neuartige Struktur untersucht, um die Brechungsindexdispersion von Proteinen zu messen. Für diese Untersuchung wird ein Array aus Silizium-Mikrosäulen analysiert. Sie zeigen eine hohe Sensitivität für sehr dünne Schichten. Die Ergebnisse dieser Arbeit zeigen, dass sich die untersuchten Sensorstrukturen für die Charakterisierung von Membranproteinen im THz- und Infrarot-Bereich sehr gut eignen. Weiterin sind sie kompatibel zu BiCMOS Prozessen und ermöglichen die kostengünstige Herstellung von Lab-on-Chip Architekturen.