Simulation and optimization of arsenic-implanted THz emitters

We have used a three-dimensional pseudo-classical Monte Carlo simulation to investigate the effects of As⁺ ion-implantation on pulsed terahertz radiation emitters. Devices based on surface-field emitters and photoconductive switches have been modelled. Two implantations of As⁺ ions at 1.0 MeV and 2.4 MeV were found to produce a uniform distribution of vacancies over the volume of GaAs contributing to THz generation in these devices. We calculate that ion-implantation increases the THz bandwidth of the devices with the cost of decreasing the spectral intensity at lower THz frequencies.