Contactless photoconductive terahertz generation
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Updated: Jun 5, 2026

Design, Fabrication, and Experimental Characterization of Plasmonic Photoconductive Terahertz Emitters
Published on: July 8, 2013
H Zhang1, J K Wahlstrand, S B Choi
1JILA, National Institute of Standards and Technology and the University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0440, USA.
Abstract:
We describe a pulsed terahertz (THz) emitter that uses a rapidly oscillating, high-voltage bias across electrodes insulated from a photoconductor. Because no carriers are injected from the electrodes, trap-enhanced electric fields do not form. The resulting uniform field allows excitation with a large laser spot, lowering the carrier density for a given pulse energy and increasing the efficiency of THz generation. Compared to a dc bias, less susceptibility to damage is observed.

