Highly-efficient THz generation using nonlinear plasmonic metasurfaces

Nonlinear metasurfaces loaded with multi-quantum-well (MQW) heterostructures constitute a rapidly progressing class of optical devices that combine high nonlinear generation efficiency with an ultrathin profile. Here, we introduce and discuss terahertz (THz) difference-frequency generation (DFG) usi...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of optics (2010) 2017-10, Vol.19 (10), p.104001
Main Authors: Tymchenko, M, Gomez-Diaz, J S, Lee, J, Belkin, M A, Alù, A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
difference frequency generation
metasurfaces
nonlinear optics
THz sources
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Nonlinear metasurfaces loaded with multi-quantum-well (MQW) heterostructures constitute a rapidly progressing class of optical devices that combine high nonlinear generation efficiency with an ultrathin profile. Here, we introduce and discuss terahertz (THz) difference-frequency generation (DFG) using MQW-based plasmonic metasurfaces and present a comprehensive theory for their rigorous electromagnetic analysis. We explicitly take into account complex phenomena associated with the local intensity saturation of intersubband transitions and identify fundamental upper-bounds for DFG conversion efficiency. Using this framework, we design and analyze a nonlinear DFG metasurface providing giant DFG nonlinear response and conversion efficiency up to 0.01% at 5.8 THz. Such metasurface can be used to generate 0.15 mW of THz power using pump intensities in the kW cm−2 range. We envision that such DFG metasurfaces can become a platform for uncooled, compact, and highly-efficient continuous-wave THz sources.
ISSN:2040-8978
2040-8986
DOI:10.1088/2040-8986/aa82ca