Theory of magnetic-field enhancement of surface-field terahertz emission

Abstract

We present a theoretical treatment of surface–field THz generation in semiconductors, which explains the power enhancement observed when a magnetic field is applied. Our model consists of two parts: a Monte Carlo simulation of the dynamics of carriers generated by a subpicosecond optical pulse, and a calculation of the resulting THz radiation emitted through the semiconductor surface. The magnetic field deflects the motion of the carriers, producing a component of the THz dipole parallel to the surface. This causes the power transmitted through the surface to be increased by more than one order of magnitude.