Electrical generation of terahertz electromagnetic pulses by hot-electrons in quantum wells

Abstract

We present a theoretical study on the electrical generation of terahertz (THz) electromagnetic pulses by hot-electrons in AlGaAs/GaAs-based two-dimensional semiconductor systems (2DSSs). The intensity of THz blackbody radiation has been calculated as a function of photon frequency and electron temperature. We consider that the electrons are heated by pulsed electric fields and that the hot-electron interactions with electromagnetic fields are mediated by electron-phonon scattering. © 1997 Academic Press Limited.