Generation of tunable far-infrared radiation by the interaction of a superluminous ionizing front with an electrically biased photoconductor

Tunable radiation in the 0.1 THz to a few THz range by the interaction of a superluminous photoconducting front with an electrostatic "frozen-wave'' c onfiguration in a semiconductor is reported. The interaction converts the e nergy contained in the "frozen wave'' into far-infrared radiation, whose fr equency depends on the energy in the laser pulse creating the superluminous front and the wavelength of the static wave. (C) 1999 American Institute o f Physics. [S0003-6951(99)01812-4].