Patent ID: 8872107
Filing Date: 2014-10-28
Classification: H01L,H01Q

Abstract:
1. A photoconductive antenna adapted to generate terahertz waves when irradiated by pulsed light, the photoconductive antenna comprising: a first conductive layer made of a semiconductor material containing a first conductive type impurity; a second conductive layer made of a semiconductor material containing a second conductive type impurity different from the first conductive type impurity; a semiconductor layer positioned between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer, and made of a semiconductor material having a carrier density that is lower than a carrier density of the semiconductor material of the first conductive layer or a carrier density of the semiconductor material of the second conductive layer; a first electrode electrically connected to the first conductive layer; and a second electrode electrically connected to the second conductive layer, the semiconductor layer including an incidence surface through which the pulsed light enters the semiconductor layer, and an emission surface from which the terahertz waves are emitted, the incidence surface being positioned in a side surface of the semiconductor layer having a normal direction extending orthogonal to a lamination direction of the first conductive layer, the semiconductor layer, and the second conductive layer, and the emission surface being positioned in the side surface of the semiconductor layer at a position different from the incidence surface, and the semiconductor layer having an elongated shape in which a direction from the incidence surface toward the emission surface is a lengthwise direction as viewed along the lamination direction.