Nanoplasmonics enhanced terahertz sources.

Arrayed hexagonal metal nanostructures are used to maximize the local current density while providing effective thermal management at the nanoscale, thereby allowing for increased emission from photoconductive terahertz (THz) sources. The THz emission field amplitude was increased by 60% above that of a commercial THz photoconductive antenna, even though the hexagonal nanostructured device had 75% of the bias voltage. The arrayed hexagonal outperforms our previously investigated strip array nanoplasmonic structure by providing stronger localization of the current density near the metal surface with an operating bandwidth of 2.6 THz. This approach is promising to achieve efficient THz sources. (C)2014 Optical Society of America