Near-field and far-field scanning terahertz spectroscopy based on photoconductive microprobe

Abstract

Recently, terahertz radiation has been a branch of cutting-edge science and technology involving many fields such as public security, military defense and national economy. In the past, far-field measurements were widely carried out based on terahertz time-domain spectroscopy. But the spatial resolution is limited by far-field diffraction effect. In order to break diffraction limit and gain sub-wavelength spatial resolution in terahertz frequency region, a series of near-field detection methods came into being, such as confocal microscopy, using an aperture, guided mode, scattering, direct detection in the near-field, etc. Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages. Using the photoconductive-antenna tip is one of the direct detection methods and it delivers the possibility of near-field measurements of terahertz waves. In this method, the photoconductive-antenna tip is a tapered photoconductive tip probe. So it can be close enough to the sample surface and receive the near-field signal on the basis of principle of photoconductivity. In this way, high spatial resolution can be gained. In this article, we introduce our recent progress of near-field and far- field scanning terahertz spectroscopy system with photoconductive-antenna in detail. Firstly, we analyze and summarize the near-field detection methods that have been developed in these years. And then, using the femtosecond laser whose center wavelength is 800 nm and the photoconductive-antenna tip detector coupled with fiber, we construct fiber near-field/ far-field scanning terahertz spectroscopy (N/F-STS). The frequency bandwidth is in a range from 0.2 THz to 1.5 THz and the terahertz spot is circular and uniform indicated by performance test. Also the amplitude and phase of the terahertz field are recorded simultaneously. It has the ability to perform three-dimension scan in various experiment conditions conveniently. Finally, we introduce the real applications in our laboratory. N/F-STS can be used to scan spatial electric distribution in three dimensions and test the spectral properties in terahertz range like other traditional far-field methods. Nevertheless, the most importantly, N/F-STS is used to scan the terahertz near-field of samples, such as terahertz surface plasmon polaritons, etc. The presented method thus is useful in some application areas, such as metamaterials, graphene, surface plasmons, waveguide transmission, near-field imaging, biological test, and chip inspection.