Title :
In-plane surface plasmonics integrated with THz quantum cascade lasers for high collimation
Author :
Guozhen Liang ; Dupont, Emmanuel ; Fathololoumi, Saeed ; Wasilewski, Zbigniew R. ; Dayan Ban ; Siu Fung Yu ; Lianhe Li ; Davies, A. Giles ; Linfield, Edmund ; Hui Chun Liu ; Qi Jie Wang
Author_Institution :
Sch. of Electr. & Electron. Eng., Nanyang Technol. Univ., Singapore, Singapore
Abstract :
We report planar integration of tapered Terahertz (THz) quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) with spoof surface plasmon (SSP) structures. The SSP structure consists of one plasmonic coupler and periodically arranged scatters. The resulting surface-emitting THz beam is highly collimated with a beam divergence as narrow as 3.6°×9.7°. As the beam divergence is inverse proportional to the light emission area, this low divergence indicates a good waveguiding property of the SSP structure, while the low optical background of the beam implies a high coupling efficiency of the THz wave from the laser cavity to the SSPs. Since all the structures are in-plane, this scheme provides a promising platform where the well-established SP techniques can be employed to engineer the THz QCL beam with high flexibilities.
Keywords :
integrated optics; laser cavity resonators; optical collimators; quantum cascade lasers; surface plasmons; terahertz wave devices; beam divergence; coupling efficiency; flexibility; high collimation; in-plane structures; in-plane surface plasmonics; laser cavity; light emission area; low optical background; periodically arranged scatters; planar integration; plasmonic coupler; spoof surface plasmon structures; surface-emitting THz beam; tapered terahertz quantum cascade lasers; waveguiding property; Educational institutions; Laser beams; Optical surface waves; Plasmons; Quantum cascade lasers; Surface emitting lasers; Surface waves;
Conference_Titel :
Lasers and Electro-Optics (CLEO), 2014 Conference on
Conference_Location :
San Jose, CA
