Generation of sub-terahertz waves using a semiconductor photomixer

A low-temperature-grown GaAs (LT-GaAs) photoconductive switch has been utilized as a photomixer in the sub-terahertz (sub-THz) region. The usefulness of the switch has been demonstrated by detecting the radiated sub-THz wave with a high-T_C Josephson junction detector consisting a series of nine junctions and a gold-coated log-periodic antenna. The sub-THz waves are radiated from the photoconductive switch by introducing the optical heterodyne signal of two semiconductor lasers. Although the radiation power of the photoconductive switch is three orders of magnitude lower than a conventional photodiode, the sub-THz waves from the switch were successfully observed in the difference voltage response of the junctions. This result suggests that the LT-GaAs switch can be used as the photomixer in the optical-microwave converter for superconductive electronics. We have also studied the properties of a radiated sub-THz frequency spectrum using a Martin-Puplett interferometer.