Abstract

Ultrafast spectroscopy is used to study essential characteristics of solid-state materials. We use ultrafast techniques to study semiconductors at THz frequencies, as well as demonstrate new single-shot measurement techniques. The future of electronics is in the THz regime. We study a crucial characteristic of semiconductors used in devices: the critical field at which the material becomes conductive. GaAs is a promising semiconductor for high-speed devices, and we use enhanced THz electric fields to measure the critical fields at 0.7, 0.9, 1.1, and 1.5 THz frequencies. Single-shot spectroscopy is a technique used to measure ultrafast time scale laser pulses. We show that a new, optical-fiber-based single-shot technique can map out the electric field of THz pulses. Also, we show two variants on this single-shot theme that can be used to measure ultrafast signals. We compare a classic pump-probe measurement to two types of single-shot measurements that use either a spectrometer or a 3 km fiber optic cable and oscilloscope, and we discuss important considerations to recovering the sample response.

Degree

College and Department

Physical and Mathematical Sciences; Chemistry and Biochemistry

Rights

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