Theoretical investigation of tunable polarized broadband terahertz radiation from magnetized gas plasma

The mechanism of terahertz(THz) pulse generation with a static magnetic field imposed on a gas plasma is theoretically investigated. The investigation demonstrates that the static magnetic field alters the electron motion during the optical field ionization of gas, leading to a two-dimensional asymmetric acceleration process of the ionized electrons. Simulation results reveal that elliptically or circularly polarized broadband THz radiation can be generated with an external static magnetic field imposed along the propagation direction of the two-color laser. The polarization of the THz radiation can be tuned by the strength of the external static magnetic field.     

Manipulating Nonlinear Photocurrent from Interlayer Coupling in Bilayer Metamaterials for Polarized Terahertz Generation

Polarized terahertz (THz) wave generation is of great significance for chiral and anisotropic sensing applications. However, how to manipulate amplitude, polarization, and ellipticity of the THz generation is still a fundamental challenge. Herein, polarized THz wave generation is achieved from a bilayer metamaterial consisting of T-shaped structure (TSS) and split resonator rings (SRRs) by combining Maxwell and hydrodynamic equations. The elliptically polarized THz wave can be synthetized directly from horizontally and vertically polarized THz components due to the orthogonal nonlinear photocurrents along the arm-directions of TSS and SRRs, respectively. Besides, the ellipticity and the orientation angle of the THz polarization ellipse can be modulated by the twist angle between the SRRs and TSS layers. The maximum ellipticity can reach 0.34 while the orientation angle is tunable from −0.45 to 0.48π by tuning the twist angle. This work proposes an interlayer coupling method for the polarized THz sources based on metamaterials in potential circular dichroism and chiral sensing applications.     

An Ultra-Broadband Chirality Selective Metastructure Absorber using High Impedance Surface

In this paper, an ultra-wideband chirality selective metastructure absorber is proposed that enables differential absorption and reflection of circularly polarized waves in the terahertz (THz) range. The structure achieves circular dichroism (CD) by using asymmetrically split metal rings as fundamental meta-atoms. Most critically, the high impedance surface and air-resonant cavities are inserted separately in the meta-atoms and dielectric substrate to enhance CD and broaden the bandwidth of absorption. The metastructure absorber can achieve more than 90% absorption of right circularly polarized waves at 0.675–1.244 THz, and it can maintain more than 90% reflection of left circularly polarized waves at 0.607–1.229 THz without changing the direction of rotation. Besides, its CD can reach more than 80% at 0.687–1.213 THz with a relative bandwidth of 55.3%. Spin-selective absorption, which is closely related to breaking chiral symmetry, is investigated through power loss distribution, wide-angle incidence, and scan parameter optimization. The proposed strategy is further validated in the THz band, and the polarization selection and manipulation techniques can be applied to chiral sensing/radio-thermometry, circular polarization detectors/lasers, and molecular spectroscopy.     

Dynamics of molecular alignment steered by a few-cycle terahertz laser pulse

The field-free alignment of molecule ClCN is investigated by using a terahertz few-cycle pulse (THz FCP) based on the time-dependent density matrix theory. It is shown that a high degree of molecular alignment can be obtained by changing the matching number of the THz FCPs in the adiabatic regime and the non-adiabatic regime. The matching number can affect both the maximum value of the alignment and the time at which it is achieved. It is also found that a higher degree of alignment can be achieved by using the THz FCP at lower intensity and there exists an optimal threshold of molecular alignment with the increase of the field amplitude. Also found is the frequency sensitive region in which the degree of maximum alignment can be enhanced greatly by modulating the center frequencies of different THz FCPs. The investigation demonstrates that comparing with a THz single-cycle pulse, a better result of the field-free alignment can be created by a THz FCP at a constant rotational temperature of molecule.     

Production of polarized ions by photoionisation

The photoproduction of polarized ions is investigated theoretically. The alignment of photoions is expressed in terms of a possible initial atomic polarization, the polarization of the radiation and of reduced transition matrix elements. In particular it is shown that an ion alignment can result from unpolarized target atoms exposed to unpolarized light.     

飞秒超强激光驱动太赫兹辐射特性的实验研究

强太赫兹源是太赫兹科学技术发展的关键,其中大能量强场太赫兹脉冲源在超快物态调控、新型电子加速器等领域具有重要的应用前景.超快超强激光与等离子体相互作用是近年来发展起来的一种新型的强场太赫兹辐射产生途径.本文报道了利用超强飞秒激光脉冲与金属薄膜靶作用产生太赫兹辐射的实验结果,研究了激光能量和离焦量对靶后太赫兹辐射能量的影响,并通过监测激光背向散射光谱,定性揭示了其变化规律与不同光强下的电子加热机制的相关性.实验表征了太赫兹辐射的频谱、偏振及聚焦光斑情况.测量结果表明,实验产生了脉冲能量达458μJ、聚焦场强高达GV/m量级的超宽带太赫兹辐射,为开展极端太赫兹脉冲与物质相互作用研究提供了一种新的强场太赫兹光源.     

Amplitude and rotation of the ellipticity of harmonicsfrom a linearly polarized laser field

We simulate the dynamic response of H₂⁺ in a linearly polarized laser field by numerically solving the time-dependent Schrödinger equation. The elliptically polarized high-order harmonics generated by H₂⁺ irradiated by the linearly polarized laser field are systematically investigated. The result shows that the amplitude and rotation of the ellipticity of harmonics are affected by the alignment angle and internuclear distance of the molecule. Analyzing the change in forces acted on the ionized electrons and the trajectories of the electrons, the phenomena are found to be due to the change in the direction of the total Coulomb forces from the two nuclei felt by the recollided ionized electrons in the direction perpendicular to the laser polarization direction. Based on the influence law, we can select the harmonics with a specific frequency band under different alignment angles and then synthesize the isolated attosecond pulses with different rotations, which can be continuously converted from right-handed circular polarization, linear polarization, and left-handed circular polarization by changing the alignment angle. This study provides a new possible approach to the real-time detection of molecular states by using attosecond pulses and obtaining more optimized harmonics with molecular properties.     

Control for atom response in multicomponent laser fields

A theory of the nonlinear optical response of an atom interacting with a superposition of arbitrarily polarized fields is developed. The theory is based on the analytical solution of the boundary-value problem for an electron moving in a spherically symmetric intraatomic field and in the field of an external electromagnetic field. By means of the example of an argon atom interacting with a bichromatic field formed by the first and second harmonics of a Ti:sapphire laser, it is shown that, when an atom interacts with the field of two polarized pulses the polarization directions of which are not collinear, the response spectrum significantly depends on the laser radiation parameters—the duration and intensity of pulses, the time of delay between them, and the angle between the directions of polarization vectors. Generation of THz radiation is shown to be possible in the ionization-free regime due to intraatomic nonlinearity.     

非线性克尔效应对飞秒激光偏振的超快调制

研究了近红外飞秒激光的偏振在太赫兹频率的超快调制.利用抽运-探测光谱技术,通过改变两个脉冲之间的延迟时间可以控制光脉冲的旋转角.在Li：NaTb（WO₄）₂磁光晶体中观察到探测光的偏振随延迟时间变化的高速振荡,振荡信号的中心频率为0.19 THz.这种超快偏振调制现象可以解释为,抽运-探测实验构置中,前向传播的抽运光诱导的光学克尔非线性引起被晶体远端表面所反射的背向传播的探测光脉冲偏振面的额外旋转.通过改变抽运光的圆偏振旋性可以控制探测光调制信号的相位和振幅.实验结果表明,非线性光学克尔效应可以作为一种全新的手段,在磁光晶体中实现近红外飞秒激光以太赫兹频率的超快偏振调控.这将在超快磁光调制器等全光器件中得以应用.实验结果将有助于偏振依赖的超快动力学过程的研究.     

由激光诱导荧光方法探测光碎片分子取向的理论研究

采用密度矩阵方法 ,推导了从激光诱导荧光 (LIF)强度中抽出光碎片取向参数的表达式 .光碎片的取向由分子态多极矩描述 .用于解离母分子和激发碎片分子的激光均为线偏振光 ,而探测荧光为非偏振光 .激光诱导荧光强度是光碎片分子初始态多极矩、线强度因子和解离—激发几何因子的函数 .光碎片的取向参数可以由测量荧光偏振比和计算动力学因子而获得     

Polarization state of high-order harmonic emission from aligned molecules

High harmonic emission in isotropic gases is polarized in the same direction as the incident laser polarization. Laser-induced molecular alignment allows us to break the symmetry of the gas medium. By using aligned molecules in high harmonic generation experiments, we show that the polarization of the extreme ultraviolet emission depends strongly on the molecular alignment and the orbital structure. Polarization measurements give insight into the molecular orbital symmetry. Furthermore, molecular alignment will allow us to produce attosecond pulses with time-dependent polarization.     

Dynamically adjustable asymmetric transmission and polarization conversion for linearly polarized terahertz wave

The asymmetric transmission(AT) and polarization conversion of terahertz(THz) wave play a vital role in future THz communication,spectrum,and information processing.Generally,it is very difficult and complicated to actively control the AT of electromagnetic(EM) wave by using traditional devices.Here,we theoretically demonstrate a stereo-metamaterial(stereo-MM) consisting of a layer of metal structure and a layer of phase transition structure with a polyimide spacer in between.The performance of the device is simulated by using the finite-integration-technology(FIT).The results show that the AT and polarization conversion of linearly polarized wave can be dynamically controlled in a range of 1.0 THz-1.6 THz when the conductivity c,F of vanadium dioxide(VO2) is changed under the external stimulation.This study provides an example of actively controlling of the AT and polarization conversion of the EM wave.     

Subwavelength polarization rotators via double-layer metal hole arrays

We show that the polarization of linearly polarized light can be rotated an arbitrary angle by double-layer metal hole array structures in a subwavelength regime. The transmitted light with the rotated polarization, however, remains of nearly the same strength as the incident field at particular frequencies. The mechanism can be attributed to the subwavelength feature of the rectangular holes, and the tangential guiding modes between layers modulated by the orientation of the holes. The structures have potential applications as polarization rotators in a broad frequency range covering from terahertz (THz) to infrared frequencies.     

Forced molecular rotation in an optical centrifuge

Intense linearly polarized light induces a dipole force that aligns an anisotropic molecule to the direction of the field polarization. Rotating the polarization causes the molecule to rotate. Using femtosecond laser technology, we accelerate the rate of rotation from 0 to 6 THz in 50 ps, spinning chlorine molecules from near rest up to angular momentum states J approximately 420. At the highest spinning rate, the molecular bond is broken and the molecule dissociates.     

基于IrMn/Fe/Pt交换偏置结构的无场自旋太赫兹源

与目前商用的太赫兹源相比,自旋太赫兹源具有超宽频谱、固态稳定以及成本低廉等优点,这使其成为下一代太赫兹源的主要研究焦点.但使用自旋太赫兹源时,通常需要外加磁场使铁磁层的磁化强度饱和,才能产生太赫兹波,这制约了其应用前景.基于此,本文制备了一种基于Ir Mn/Fe/Pt交换偏置结构的自旋太赫兹波发生器,通过Ir Mn/Fe中的交换偏置场和Fe/Pt中的超快自旋流注入与逆自旋霍尔效应相结合,在无外加磁场下产生了强度可观的太赫兹波.在Ir Mn和Fe的界面中插入超薄的Cu,可以使Fe在厚度很薄时零场下实现饱和磁化,并且其正向饱和场最高可达–10 m T,从而进一步提升无场下的太赫兹发射效率.零场下出射的太赫兹波的动态范围超过60 d B,达到可实用化的水平.通过旋转样品,发现产生的太赫兹波的偏振方向也会随之旋转,并且始终沿着面内垂直于交换偏置场的方向.此外,在此交换偏置结构的基础上,引入了一层自由的铁磁金属层Fe,设计了一种以Ir Mn/Fe/Pt/Fe为核心结构的自旋阀太赫兹源,发现产生的太赫兹强度在两层铁磁层反平行排列时比平行排列以及不引入自由铁磁金属层时均大约提升了40%.结果表明,基...     

Postpulse molecular alignment measured by a weak field polarization technique

We report a direct nonintrusive observation of alignment and planar delocalization of CO2 after an intense linearly polarized femtosecond laser pulse excitation. The effects are measured by a polarization technique involving a perturbative probe that itself does not induce appreciable alignment. We show that this technique allows one to measure a signal proportional to -1/3, with theta the angle between the molecular axis and the laser polarization. Simulations that support this analysis allow one to characterize the experimentally observed alignment and planar delocalization quantitatively.     

Polarization spectra of excitonic luminescence of bare ZnCdSe/ZnSe quantum wires

Linearly polarized luminescence spectra of bare (unburied) semiconductor structures with ZnCdSe/ZnSe quantum wires, obtained by reactive ion etching, were investigated. It was found that, regardless of the orientation of the linear polarization of the exciting light, the luminescence radiation of the quantum wires is polarized parallel to the axis of the wires, while the radiation of the buffer layer of the isotropic ZnSe barrier material is oriented perpendicular to the axis of the wires. The polarization features found are due to the modification of the modes of the electromagnetic field near open quantum wires, which occurs as a result of the presence of the vertical interfaces between media with strongly different permittivities. It was also found that, when linearly polarized excitation is used, the alignment of exciton dipole moments strongly influences the polarization properties of the luminescence. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 40, 1559–1562 (August 1998)     

Quantum memory on a charge qubit in an optical microresonator

Polarized fluorescence decay in NADH molecules in aqueous solution under two-photon excitation by femtosecond laser pulses has been studied. The excitation was carried out by linear and circularly polarized radiation at four wavelengths: 720, 730, 740, and 750 nm. Time-dependent polarized fluorescence signals were recorded as a function of the excitation light polarization and used for determination of a set of molecular parameters, two lifetimes characterizing the molecular excited states, and the rotation correlation time τ_rot. The results obtained can be used to create and prove theoretical models describing the intensity and polarization of fluorescence in NADH involved in the regulation of the redox reactions in cells and tissues of living organisms.     

Terahertz radiation by an ultrafast spontaneous polarization modulation of multiferroic BiFeO3 thin films

Terahertz (THz) radiation has been observed from multiferroic BiFeO3 thin films via ultrafast modulation of spontaneous polarization upon carrier excitation with illumination of femtosecond laser pulses. The radiated THz pulses from BiFeO3 thin films were clarified to directly reflect the spontaneous polarization state, giving rise to a memory effect in a unique style and enabling THz radiation even at zero-bias electric field. On the basis of our findings, we demonstrate potential approaches to ferroelectric nonvolatile random access memory with nondestructive readability and ferroelectric domain imaging microscopy using THz radiation as a sensitive probe.     

Transition from photocurrent surge to resonant optical rectification for terahertz generation in p-InAs

It has been demonstrated that the key to complete understanding of the mechanisms for terahertz (THz) generation from a p-type InAs wafer pumped by a subpicosecond Ti:sapphire amplifier lies in the dependences of the THz polarization on the azimuthal angle and polarization of the pump beam. At low enough pump intensities, photocurrent surge is the dominant mechanism for THz generation. However, the THz radiation originating from photocurrent surge is greatly reduced with increased pump intensity. Therefore, at sufficiently high pump intensities resonant optical rectification becomes the dominating mechanism for THz generation. The highest output power is measured to be 57 microW.