Superconducting Terahertz Sources with 12% Power Efficiency

Abstract

Low power efficiency is one of the main problems concerning the photon sources that would fill the so-called ``terahertz gap''. This Letter presents prototypes of devices based on whisker crystals of the high-temperature superconductor Bi${}_{2}$Sr${}_{2}$CaCu${}_{2}$O${}_{8+\ensuremath{\delta}}$, with a radiation power efficiency of 12% at frequencies near 4 THz. This efficiency is more than an order of magnitude larger than those in earlier studies and approaches the theoretical limit of 50%, paving a way toward creation of sources that are tunable, monochromatic, continuous-wave, compact, and most importantly power-efficient.

Topics & Concepts