CPC G01J 1/44 (2013.01) [G01J 1/42 (2013.01); G01J 3/10 (2013.01); G01J 3/42 (2013.01); G01J 4/00 (2013.01); G01J 4/04 (2013.01); H01L 31/0216 (2013.01); H01L 31/0224 (2013.01); H01L 31/0304 (2013.01); H01L 31/09 (2013.01); G01J 2001/446 (2013.01); G02F 2/02 (2013.01); G02F 2203/13 (2013.01)] | 14 Claims |
1. A photoconductive switch for generating or detecting linearly-polarized terahertz radiation comprising:
a photoconductive substrate; and
a plurality of electrodes on a surface of the photoconductive substrate
wherein said plurality of electrodes comprises:
a first pair of structured electrodes separated by a first gap comprising at least a plurality of first rectilinear sections extending along a first direction (x); and
a second pair of structured electrodes separated by a second gap comprising at least a plurality of second rectilinear sections extending along a second direction (y), different from the first direction;
wherein the photoconductive switch further comprises a patterned opaque layer opaque to at least one of terahertz radiation and visible or infrared radiation suitable to induce an increase of a substrate conductivity, selectively masking portions of the first and second gaps between the first and second pairs of structured electrodes, in such a way that only some sections remain unmasked, said sections including:
the plurality of first rectilinear sections of the first gap such that, upon application of a first voltage between the electrodes of the first pair of structured electrodes and illumination by said visible or infrared radiation, a first electric current flows with a same first electric current flow direction and orientation across all said unmasked first rectilinear sections of the plurality of first rectilinear sections; and
the plurality of second rectilinear sections of the second gap such that, upon application of a second voltage between the electrodes of the second pair of structured electrodes and illumination by said visible or infrared radiation, a second electric current flows with a same second electric current flow direction and orientation across all said unmasked second rectilinear sections of the plurality of second rectilinear sections.
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