Terahertz radiation generation from metallic electronic structure manipulated by inhomogeneous DC-fields

Abstract

Abstract We propose a feasible, high-efficiency scheme of primary terahertz (THz) radiation source through manipulating electronic structure (ES) of a metallic film by targeted-designed DC-fields configuration. The DC magnetic field is designed to be of a spatially inhomogeneous strength profile, and its direction is designed to be normal to the film, and the direction of the DC electric field is parallel to the film. Strict quantum theory and numerical results indicate that the ES under such a field configuration will change from a 3D Fermi sphere into a highly-degenerate structure whose density-of-state curve has pseudogap near Fermi surface. Wavefunctions’ shapes in this new ES are space-asymmetric, and the width of pseudogap near Fermi surface, as well as magnitudes of transition matrix element, can be handily controlled by adjusting parameter values of DC fields. Under available parameter values, the width of the pseudogap can be at milli-electron-volt level (corresponding to THz radiation frequency), and the magnitude of oscillating dipole can be at $$10^{-9} C*m$$ 10 - 9 C ∗ m -level. In room-temperature environment, phonon in metal can pump the ES to achieve population inversion.