A-1002

DFB Diode Lasers

Continuous-Wave Terahertz
Spectroscopy
Anselm Deninger, Ph.D.
TOPTICA Photonics AG

The generation and use of Terahertz (THz) radiation bears great potential in TOPTICA
DFB Laser #1
security technology, chemical, biological and medical applications alike. In the
TOPTICA
electromagnetic spectrum, THz radiation fills the gap between the far infrared DFB Laser #2

and radio waves: The THz regime, commonly defined as the range from 300
GHz to 10 THz, corresponds to wavelengths between 1 mm and 30 µm. THz
radiation is able to penetrate a variety of materials which are opaque to visible
light, such as clothing or paper. On the other hand, THz radiation is absorbed
by water and organic substances, materials commonly perceived as
transparent. These unique absorption properties lend themselves for novel Fig. 1: Basic setup for CW-THz
generation. A two-color laser beam
screening and imaging techniques. The use of T-rays, as they are sometimes irradiates a low-temperature grown
called, may thus lead to major advances e.g. in the detection of explosives at (Ltg) semiconductor antenna. Gold
mirrors and silicon lenses serve to
airports, or the identification of biological and chemical agents in the post, guide, and focus, the THz
even within sealed envelopes. An example of security screening with THz radiation, respectively. For
detection, the THz wave and the
radiation is presented at the end of this article. original two-color beam are
superimposed on a second,
however unbiased antenna
There are several ways of generating THz radiation. Two of the most important
techniques involve lasers produced by TOPTICA. The method discussed here
employs CW diode lasers, in particular Distributed Feedback (DFB) lasers,
whilst the second method utilizes femtosecond lasers. Both methods rely on
THz antennas, which consist of two high-voltage-biased electrodes, separated
by several micrometers of high-resistance semiconductor material. When the
lasers are focused onto the semiconductor material, charge carriers are
generated and an electric current begins to flow. The trick is to change the
laser intensity on a sub-picosecond timescale, hence the current oscillates at
THz frequencies and emits THz radiation.

CW Terahertz Generation
CW THz radiation is obtained by means of difference frequency mixing (Fig.
1). The THz emitter – usually a biased GaAs semiconductor antenna – is
irradiated with two diode laser beams of adjacent wavelengths. This induces

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an oscillating photocurrent, with an amplitude modulation at the frequency
difference ∆ω = ω1 – ω2 of the two laser beams. The photocurrent, in turn,
generates an electromagnetic wave: the T-wave, the frequency of which is
once more equal to the optical beat frequency.

For efficient THz generation, some key requirements must be met. In order to
employ GaAs photomixers, the laser wavelength has to be smaller than the
semiconductor bandgap (approx. 870 nm). Further, the laser sources must be
powerful and, as many THz absorption lines are tens or hundreds of GHz
broad, have a large mode-hop-free tuning range. Frequency differences of 0 to
2 THz correspond to wavelength differences of 0 to 4-5 nm in the near-infrared
spectral range.
Fig. 2: Dual-color laser source for
CW-THz generation, with fiber-
TOPTICA’s DFB laser systems offer 150 mW output at 850-860 nm and are optic beam combination
tunable over >1100 GHz. By selecting two lasers of similar, but non-equal
wavelengths, the difference frequency range can be tailored according to the
requirements of an experiment. A well-proven combination features DFB
lasers at central wavelengths of 853 nm and 855 nm, resulting in a difference
frequency that is tunable from 0 .. 2.2 THz. Alternatively, using two lasers at
855 nm and 860 nm provides a T-wave range of 0.6 .. 2.9 THz. These
frequencies match the aforementioned antenna requirements and cover
absorption signatures of a broad range of relevant substances, including
explosives.

Generally, the wavelength of a DFB laser is tuned by varying the laser current
or the chip temperature. Electric modulation is suitable for fast frequency
scans within a small range (∆λ = 0.1-0.2 nm @ kHz to MHz modulation
frequencies). Larger tuning ranges of up to 3 nm are realized by varying the
laser temperature, typically over an interval of 40 °C. The tuning speed may be
as high as 100 GHz/second, which is more than adequate for THz
spectroscopy or imaging. The high sensitivity of the laser frequency to
temperature or current changes calls for low-noise control electronics for
applications that require a narrow THz linewidth or high stability of the THz
frequency. In particular, a frequency resolution of the order of 1 MHz,
mandatory for applications in THz precision spectroscopy, translates into a
temperature stability on the mK level and a current stability of ~ 1 µA,
requirements that are met by the TOPTICA control electronics.

A commonly used experimental set-up of a two-color laser source is shown in

Fig. 2. Each laser beam passes an optical isolator and is coupled into a
polarization-maintaining (PM) fiber combiner. The combiner provides two

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outputs – one for THz generation, one for detection – with each output 857
DL-DFB with iScan control: Linear 1.2 THz scan

comprising the two laser frequencies.

856

Wavelength (nm)
TOPTICA’s product package DL DFB THz 855
1.2 THz

TOPTICA has released a new product package, SYST DL DFB THz, in order
854

to help customers select the most suitable components for their CW-THz
33 sec

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140

experiment. Attractively priced, the package comprises the two laser heads Time (s)

including beam shaping optics and a 19” rack with low-noise driving Fig. 3: Tuning curve of a DFB
electronics for the two lasers, plus an analog interface for remote control of laser with iScan control. A linear
scan of +0.6 THz is followed by a
operating parameters. The customer then chooses appropriate DFB diodes ramp of –1.2 THz, before the
(e.g. 853 nm, 855 nm or 860 nm), and optical isolators for the requested frequency returns to its initial
value
wavelength. The lasers may optionally be fiber-coupled. A low-loss PM fiber
combiner is also available from TOPTICA.
The analog temperature and current control electronics guarantee superior
power and frequency stability of the lasers, and thus the THz wave.

The basic setup of Fig. 2 can be further extended, depending on the needs of
the experiment. If higher power levels are required, the two DFB lasers can be
coupled into one Tapered Amplifier (BoosTA), increasing the ouput power into
the 500 .. 1000 mW range. The tuning range and the spectral properties of the
DFB lasers are maintained, and the necessary overlap of the two beams on
the antenna is automatically secured.

For ultimate frequency control, the DFB lasers can additionally be combined
with TOPTICA’s patented iScan® interferometer. This union yields a laser
source with a frequency stability in the 1 MHz range, precisely linear frequency
scans even across several 100 GHz (Fig. 3), locking to any difference
frequency desired, and full computer control of the laser frequency via RS232
or USB interface.
Thus, TOPTICA’s Distributed Feedback (DFB) diode lasers provide not only
exceptional tuning ranges, but also allow for precise adjustment of the THz
difference frequency - a major benefit for high-resolution analytical spectroscopy.

Application Example: Security screening with T-rays

Researchers at TeraView Ltd. (Cambridge, UK) employed TOPTICA’s DL-DFB
lasers for CW-THz imaging and spectroscopy. In a feasibility study, they
harnessed THz imaging to detect weapons hidden beneath clothing. They
concealed a ceramic scalpel blade behind a layer of black denim cloth to
simulate a knife hidden in a pocket of jeans. The cloth was impenetrable to
visible light. At 0.5 THz, however, the hidden blade was clearly discernible.
The experiment demonstrated the ability of THz imaging to reveal non-metallic
objects, which present a particular challenge for traditional detection

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techniques.
The researchers went on to show that plastic explosives could be located and
identified due to their unambiguous spectral fingerprint. They concluded that
THz imaging may complement existing X-ray technology for the examination of
luggage and envelopes, but also for security screening of people at airports or
in public places.
Two DL-DFB lasers operating at 860 nm were used in the experiment.

A broad range of applications

Security applications is only one of the fields at the focus of interest to THz
researchers. The possibility to visualize details of the inner structure of an
object makes THz imaging a suitable tool for material analysis. One
application where THz waves are already in use is the inspection of airbags in Fig. 4: Visible image and THz
image of a ceramic blade hidden
the automotive industry. Quality control in the production process of polymers in cloth (courtesy of TeraView Ltd)
is another arena that will likely see the entrance of T-Ray technology. Other
potential applications include quality control of foodstuffs inside their air-tight
packaging, and the inspection of pharmaceuticals. It is not unrealistic to
assume, therefore, that THz imaging and spectroscopy will become one of the
novel key technologies in applied science in the next few years.

TOPTICA Photonics AG | Lochhamer Schlag 19 | 82166 Graefelfing / Munich | Germany A-1002

Phone +49 89 85 837-0 | Telefax +49 89 85 837-200 | info@toptica.com | www.toptica.com Page 4