Spintronic terahertz emitters with integrated metallic terahertz cavities.

Spintronic terahertz emitters (STEs), based on optical excitation of nanometer thick ferromagnetic/heavy metal (FM/HM) heterojunctions, have become important sources for the generation of terahertz (THz) pulses. However, the efficiency of the optical-to-THz conversion remains limited. Although optical techniques have been developed to enhance the optical absorption, no investigations have studied the application of THz cavities.

Optical damage thresholds of single-mode fiber-tip spintronic terahertz emitters.

Spintronic terahertz emitters (STEs) are gapless, ultrabroadband terahertz sources that can be driven within a wide pump-wavelength and repetition-rate range. While STEs driven by strong pump lasers operating at kilohertz repetition rates excel in generating high electric field strengths for terahertz spectroscopy or ellipsometry, newly advancing technologies such as ultrafast modulation of terahertz polarization, scanning tunneling microscopy, laser terahertz emission nanoscopy, and fully fiber-coupled integrated systems demand an STE pumping at megahertz repetition rates. In all these applications the available terahertz power is ultimately limited by the STE's optical damage threshold.

Fiber-tip spintronic terahertz emitters.

Spintronic terahertz emitters promise terahertz sources with an unmatched broad frequency bandwidth that are easy to fabricate and operate, and therefore easy to scale at low cost. However, current experiments and proofs of concept rely on free-space ultrafast pump lasers and rather complex benchtop setups. This contrasts with the requirements of widespread industrial applications, where robust, compact, and safe designs are needed.