(012)-cut chalcopyrite ZnGeP2 as a high-bandwidth terahertz electro-optic detection crystal

The detection properties of a chalcopyrite zinc germanium diphosphide (ZnGeP2, ZGP) electro-optic (EO) crystal, having thickness of 1080 μm and cut along the <012> plane, is studied in the terahertz (THz) frequency range. Outstanding phase matching is achieved between the optical probe pulse and the THz frequency components, leading to a large EO detection bandwidth. ZGP has the ability to measure frequencies that are 1.3 and 1.2 times greater than that of ZnTe for crystal thicknesses of 1080 and 500 μm, respectively. Furthermore, the ZGP crystal is able to detect frequency components that are ≥4.6 times larger than both ZnSe and GaP (for crystal thicknesses of 1080 μm) and ≥2.2 times larger than ZnSe and GaP (for crystal thicknesses of 500 μm).

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