Generation of nanosecond THz pulses using a high gain ring resonator with a semiconductor switch

Abstract

A [Formula: see text] quasi-optical ring resonator consisting of an input coupler and three mirrors has been designed and tested. A low-loss silicon wafer in the ring provides output coupling of the stored power when irradiated by a pulse from a [Formula: see text] laser. The ring created [Formula: see text] output power pulses when excited by a [Formula: see text] continuously operating input source, achieving a power gain of 16. In a fully tuned ring, higher gain is achievable. If the ring was used with a pulsed input source having a pulse length of several times the fill time, the ring could be used as an efficient pulse compressor with similar high gain. The resonator has a wide range of applications, including, at low power, spectroscopy and, at high power, testing of accelerator structures and materials.