Fabrication of active and passive terahertz structures

Abstract

The Terahertz (THz) band of frequencies ranging 100GHz--30 THz (3mm--1μm) has drawn the attention of scientists for its application in variety of disciplines. Although significant advances have been made in the area of THz research, it is only during recent times, that electrically pumped silicon based sources have been fabricated. However, compact THz systems would require the development of sources capable of producing much higher power than the existing ones. A crucial component of any laser is the resonator that provides feedback. The current work focuses on design and fabrication of silicon based THz resonating structures like microdisks and photonic crystals that hold great promise to enable lasers as powerful sources for future THz systems.