Terahertz Amplification and Modulation Devices on Gallium Nitride

• Author / Creator

  Carnio, Brett N.

• This thesis focuses on developing a high power, compact source of Terahertz (THz) radiation. An amplifier and an oscillator are designed using an active device exhibiting the Gunn Effect. The amplification properties of the amplifier and oscillator are first studied using the commercial software Comsol Multiphysics. Then, the electrical properties of the active device are studied using the commercial software Crosslight APSYS. This thesis also focuses on the modulation of THz radiation by a 2 dimensional electron gas (2DEG). THz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) experiments are performed on gallium nitride (GaN) samples in the presence and absence of a 2DEG and the measurements are used to predict the modulation introduced by the 2DEG. Additionally, THz-TDS experiments are performed on a bare sapphire wafer and GaN thin films (having various doping densities) grown on a sapphire substrate. The refractive index of the sapphire and GaN is determined from the measurements and compared to literature values. Furthermore, the GaN relative permittivity is determined from the measurements and compared to the Drude model.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Negative differential resistance
  • Gallium nitride
  • THz modulation
  • Gunn Effect
  • THz amplification
  • THz source

• Graduation date

  Fall 2015

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3SN01G45

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.