Role of the Hall effect on THz output power enhancement in plasmonic photoconductive antennas

Abstract

This study proposes a new, to our knowledge, type of photoconductive antenna that incorporates magnetic biasing and plasmonic layers to increase light absorption in the substrate and enhance the terahertz (THz) output power. The top grating layers are coated with a silicon nitride layer (Si3N4) to enhance optical transmission to the photoconductive region, resulting in increased carrier generation. Using plasmonic electrodes in photoconductive THz sources eliminates the need for short-carrier lifetime semiconductors. Application of the Hall effect enables the use of a lower-power laser and a lower voltage bias while generating increased THz power at the output. The performance of the magnetic-biased plasmonic photoconductive antenna is compared to that of a plasmonic photoconductive antenna without external magnetic bias, and the results evince a promising outcome significantly more extensive than both.