Abstract The development of THz technology and communication systems is creating demand for devices that can modulate THz beams rapidly. Here we report the design and characterisation of high-performance, broadband THz modulators based on the photo-induced transparency of carbon nanotube films. Rather than operating in the standard modulation mode, where optical excitation lowers transmission, this new class of modulators exhibits an inverted modulation mode with an enhanced transmission. Under femtosecond pulsed illumination, modulation depths reaching + 80 % were obtained simultaneously with modulation speeds of 340 GHz. The influence of the film thickness on the insertion loss, modulation speed and modulation depth was explored over a frequency range from 400 GHz to 2.6 THz. The excellent modulation depth and high modulation speed demonstrated the significant potential of carbon nanotube thin films for ultrafast THz modulators.

中文翻译：

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基于碳纳米管薄膜的超快、高调制深度太赫兹调制器

摘要 太赫兹技术和通信系统的发展催生了对能够快速调制太赫兹波束的设备的需求。在这里，我们报告了基于碳纳米管薄膜的光致透明度的高性能宽带太赫兹调制器的设计和表征。这种新型调制器不是在标准调制模式下工作，在这种模式下光激发会降低传输，而是展示了一种具有增强传输的反向调制模式。在飞秒脉冲照明下，调制深度达到 + 80 %，调制速度为 340 GHz。在 400 GHz 至 2.6 THz 的频率范围内探索了薄膜厚度对插入损耗、调制速度和调制深度的影响。