Abstract

Large-aperture photoconducting antennas have been used to both generate and detect ultrafast submillimeter electromagnetic radiation. When photoconductively driven by optical pulses with energies in the range of 10^-4 J/cm², emitting antennas have produced far-infrared peak electric fields that are comparable to the bias field. Large-aperture emitters of semi-insulating InP with various electrode spacings (1,4, and 10 mm) have been measured. In contrast with previously used dipole antennas, which have a 5 μm radiation-damaged silicon-on-sapphire photoconducting gap, our new detectors have electrodes spaced 0.1-1 mm apart and also have a larger dynamic range.

© 1990 Optical Society of America