Open AccessRapidly frequency-swept optical beat source for continuous wave terahertz generation
Author(s) -
Min Yong Jeon,
Namje Kim,
Shihui Han,
Hyunsung Ko,
Han-Cheol Ryu,
Dae-Su Yee,
Kyung Hyun Park
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.19.018364
Subject(s) - terahertz radiation , optics , beat (acoustics) , continuous wave , laser , materials science , wavelength , optoelectronics , optical fiber , physics
We propose a rapidly frequency-swept optical beat source for continuous wave (CW) THz generation using a wavelength swept laser and a fixed distributed feedback (DFB) laser. The range of the sweeping bandwidth is about 17.3 nm (2.16 THz), 1541.42-1558.72 nm. The achieved side mode suppression ratio for both wavelengths within the full sweeping range is more than 45 dB. We observe CW THz signals for tunable optical beat sources using a fiber coupled CW THz measurement system to confirm the feasibility of using our frequency swept optical beat source as a CW THz radiation source. The THz output signal falls to the thermal noise level of the low-temperature grown (LTG) InGaAs photomixer beyond 1.0 THz. The rapidly frequency-swept optical beat source will be useful for generating high-speed tunable CW THz radiation.