Terahertz near-field nanoscopy based on detectorless laser feedback interferometry under different feedback regimes

Near-field imaging techniques, at terahertz frequencies (1–10 THz), conventionally rely on bulky laser sources and detectors. Here, we employ a semiconductor heterostructure laser as a THz source and, simultaneously, as a phase-sensitive detector, exploiting optical feedback interferometry combined...

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Veröffentlicht in:APL photonics 2021-06, Vol.6 (6), p.061302-061302-9, Article 061302
Hauptverfasser: Pogna, Eva A. A., Silvestri, Carlo, Columbo, Lorenzo L., Brambilla, Massimo, Scamarcio, Gaetano, Vitiello, Miriam S.
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Sprache:eng
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Zusammenfassung:Near-field imaging techniques, at terahertz frequencies (1–10 THz), conventionally rely on bulky laser sources and detectors. Here, we employ a semiconductor heterostructure laser as a THz source and, simultaneously, as a phase-sensitive detector, exploiting optical feedback interferometry combined with scattering near-field nanoscopy. We analyze the amplitude and phase sensitivity of the proposed technique as a function of the laser driving current and of the feedback attenuation, discussing the operational conditions ideal to optimize the nano-imaging contrast and the phase sensitivity. As a targeted nanomaterial, we exploit a thin (39 nm) flake of Bi2Te2.2Se0.8, a topological insulator having infrared active optical phonon modes. The self-mixing interference fringes are analyzed within the Lang–Kobayashi formalism to rationalize the observed variations as a function of Acket’s parameter C in the full range of weak feedback (C < 1).
ISSN:2378-0967
2378-0967
DOI:10.1063/5.0048099