Terahertz photoconductive antennas based on silicon-doped GaAs (111)A

In this study we investigate a relatively new material for terahertz (THz) photoconductive antennas (PCAs): GaAs epitaxial films grown on (111)A-oriented semi-insulated GaAs substrates and doped with Si. GaAs:Si (111)A films with the required high resistance without postgrowth annealing have been grown by molecular-beam epitaxy. The Si doping of (111)A-oriented GaAs was expected to lead to the formation of acceptors that facilitate the activation of As-Ga(+) traps. The relaxation times of nonequilibrium charge carriers in the films were measured in pump-probe experiment, and, finally, the electron mobility was estimated from the carrier lifetime and current-voltage characteristics measured under pulsed pumping by Ti:sapphire femtosecond laser. Dipole and bow-tie PCAs were fabricated, and the THz emission spectra and the total THz emission power were measured with varying applied voltage and optical excitation power. The properties of GaAs:Si (111)A films and the PCAs based on them are compared with LTG-GaAs (100) and (111)A-oriented films.