Ultrafast Optoelectronics for Broad Bandwidth Microwave Measurements of Materials

该提案支持使用田纳西州中部州立大学的超快光电子激光实验室（UOLL）对材料进行宽带微波/毫米波测量的研究。 UOLL围绕太赫兹测量系统，该系统基于由锁模钛宝石激光器驱动的光电导天线。拟议研究的天线结构被设计为在10 GHz至200 GHz的频率范围内发射极化的定向辐射;这是一个越来越受技术关注的频率范围，其中很少有其他宽带源存在。(1)测量光子带隙材料的微波特性，特别是确定介质和金属-介质阵列中体模和表面模的色散关系。(2)演示使用宽带微波椭圆偏振法作为非接触式方法，用于测定半导体衬底上薄膜的微波介电常数和损耗。该提案是根据NSF的本科院校研究（RUI）计划提交的。许多因素有助于本科生这项研究计划的价值。由于这种光电技术并没有得到广泛应用，因此很容易将一些研究项目划分为几个部分，这些部分可以在本科生可用的时间范围内完成。该科学是可访问的，并结合和加强现代本科物理课程（特别是电动力学，固态物理，傅立叶方法和光学）所涵盖的主题。最后，学生发展光学和激光，电子，半导体和薄膜技术相关的实验技能。

The proposal supports research in broad bandwidth microwave/millimeter-wave measurements of materials using the Ultrafast Optoelectronics Laser Laboratory (UOLL) at Middle Tennessee State University. The UOLL centers around a Terahertz measurement system based on photoconductive antennas which are driven by a mode-locked Ti:sapphire laser. The antenna structures for the proposed research aredesigned to emit polarized, directional radiation over the frequency range 10 GHz to 200 GHz; a frequency range of growing technological interest and one in which few other broad bandwidth sources exist.There are two research focus areas. (1) Measure the microwave properties of photonic band gap materials, in particular determine the dispersion relations of bulk and surface electromagnetic modes in dielectric and metallo-dielectric arrays. (2) Demonstrate the use of broad bandwidth microwave ellipsometry as a non-contact method for determining the microwave dielectric constant and loss of thin films on semiconducting substrates. This proposal is submitted under the NSF's Research in Undergraduate Institutions (RUI) program. A number of factors contribute to the value of this research program for undergraduates. Because this optoelectronic technique is not widely practiced it is easy to frame a number of research projects that can be partitioned into segments which can be accomplished in the time frame available to undergraduate students. The science is accessible and incorporates and reinforces topics covered in the modern undergraduate physics curriculum (particularly electrodynamics, solid state physics, Fourier methods, and optics).Finally, the students develop technologically relevant experimental skills in optics and lasers, electronics, semiconductors, and thin films.