ErAs Enhanced Active Photonic THz Components

We present active, telecom-wavelength compatible THz components with enhanced performance by introducing ErAs precipitates. First, we review how an ErAs monolayer in between p-i-n diodes enables serial connection of these diodes, reducing the total capacitance and thus decoupling the existing trade-off between RC- and transit time roll-off. In the second part of the paper, latest results with ErAs:In(Al)GaAs photoconductive devices are shown. Continous-wave (CW) receivers show an almost flat frequency response up to 0.5 THz with a noise equivalent power (NEP) of 20±10 fW/Hz. Under pulsed operation, we achieved 40 dB dynamic range at 4.1 THz with a system only using ErAs:In(Al)GaAs photoconductors as source and receiver.