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  • Letter
  • Open Access

Superconducting Terahertz Sources with 12% Power Efficiency

R. Cattaneo1, E.A. Borodianskyi1, A.A. Kalenyuk1,2, and V.M. Krasnov1,3,*

  • 1Department of Physics, Stockholm University, AlbaNova University Center, Stockholm SE-10691, Sweden
  • 2Institute of Metal Physics of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv 03142, Ukraine
  • 3Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, State University, 9 Institutsiy per., Dolgoprudny 141700, Russia

  • *Vladimir.Krasnov@fysik.su.se

Phys. Rev. Applied 16, L061001 – Published 10 December, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevApplied.16.L061001

Abstract

Low power efficiency is one of the main problems of terahertz (THz) sources, colloquially known as “the THz gap.” In this work we present prototypes of THz devices based on whisker crystals of a high-temperature superconductor Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ with a record high-radiation power efficiency of 12% at a frequency of approximately 4 THz. We employ various on- and off-chip detection techniques and, in particular, use the radiative cooling phenomenon for accurate evaluation of the emission power. We conclude that such devices can be used for creation of tunable, monochromatic, cw, compact, and power-efficient THz sources.

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References (40)

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