Generation and detection of THz radiation using intrinsic Josephson junctions

We present the generation and detection of terahertz radiation using intrinsic Josephson junctions (IJJs) in Bi2Sr2CaCu2Oy single crystals. This approach allows us to detect THz radiation from large stacks consisting of a few hundred intrinsic Josephson junctions. The lateral dimensions of the fabricated IJJ oscillator mesa range from 290x50 to 290x90 mu m(2) and the number of IJJs which constitute the mesas is between 100 and 450, while the small mesa with the lateral dimensions of 5 x 5 mu m(2) is used as the high sensitive THz detector. The largest emission is always observed when the oscillator is biased at the negative resistance region of the current-voltage characteristics. We find that the emission frequency corresponds to the second harmonics of the in-phase cavity resonance mode. This is consistent with the emission condition of the case of thick IJJ stacks reported previously. (C) 2012 Published by Elsevier B.V. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of the Guest Editors.