Wang, MinjieVajtai, RobertAjayan, Pulickel M.Kono, Junichiro2015-01-082015-01-082014Wang, Minjie, Vajtai, Robert, Ajayan, Pulickel M., et al.. "Electrically tunable hot-silicon terahertz attenuator." <i>Applied Physics Letters,</i> 105, (2014) AIP Publishing LLC: 141110. http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4897531.https://hdl.handle.net/1911/78910We have developed a continuously tunable, broadband terahertz attenuator with a transmission tuning range greater than 103. Attenuation tuning is achieved electrically, by simply changing the DC voltage applied to a heating wire attached to a bulk silicon wafer, which controls its temperature between room temperature and ~550 K, with the corresponding free-carrier density adjusted between ~1011 cm−3 and ~1017 cm−3. This “hot-silicon”-based terahertz attenuator works most effectively at 450–550 K (corresponding to a DC voltage variation of only ~7 V) and completely shields terahertz radiation above 550 K in a frequency range of 0.1–2.5 THz. Both intrinsic and doped silicon wafers were tested and demonstrated to work well as a continuously tunable attenuator. All behaviors can be understood quantitatively via the free-carrier Drude model taking into account thermally activated intrinsic carriers.engThis is an author's peer-reviewed final manuscript, as accepted by the publisher. The published article is copyrighted by AIP Publishing LLCJournal articleterahertzattenuationshieldinghot siliconhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4897531