Superconducting source for tunable coherent terahertz radiation
US8026487B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 21, 2007 |
| Grant date | Sep 27, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 8, 2030 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N21/3581
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A system includes a solid state source of THz radiation and a detector. The source of THz radiation may be based on a superconducting material, such as materials containing one or more Josephson junctions (e.g. BSCCO). The source may include a crystal of superconducting material on which a mesa of superconducting material is formed. The resonant coupling between the Josephson oscillations and the fundamental cavity mode of the mesa may lead to synchronization of the Josephson junctions and emission of powerful THz radiation. The mesa may be formed and/or handled such that THz radiation can be emitted by the material without requiring application of an external magnetic field (e.g. the mesa may include a non-uniform compositional gradient, a non-uniform shape, may have radiation non-uniformly applied to the mesa, etc.).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.