Terahertz polarization imaging with birefringent materials

We present a terahertz (THz) imaging method with a birefringent material which is sensitive to THz wave polarization. The subtle THz polarization modulations introduced by the target are extracted by the amplitudes of the two separated THz peaks passing through the birefringent material. The anisotropy of the industrial sprayed-on-foam-insulation (SOFI) is characterized by measuring its azimuthal angle dependent THz polarization response. This work demonstrated that this polarization sensitive THz imaging technique can be used for industrial inspection and biological related characterization.     

Coherent control of THz wave generation in ambient air

Our study of THz wave generation in the pulsed laser induced air plasma with individually controlled phase, polarization, and amplitude of the optical fundamental wave (omega) and its second harmonic (2omega) indicates that the third-order nonlinear optical process mixing the omega and 2omega beams in the ionized plasma is the main mechanism of the efficient THz wave generation. The polarity and the strength of the emitted THz field are completely controlled by the relative phase between the omega and 2omega waves. The measured THz field amplitude is proportional to the pulse energy of the fundamental beam and to the square root of the pulse energy of the second-harmonic beam once the total optical pulse energy exceeds the plasma formation threshold. The optimal THz field is achieved when all waves (omega, 2omega, and THz waves) are at the same polarization in the four-wave-mixing process.     

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.     

All-optical ultrafast polarization switching of terahertz radiation by impulsive molecular alignment

We experimentally demonstrate ultrafast polarization switching of terahertz (THz) radiation generated by dual-color driving pulses composed of orthogonally polarized fundamental and second-harmonic waves, which can be controlled by field-free molecular alignment in air by modulating the relative phase between the two field components as a transient dynamic wave plate. By fine-tuning the time delay to properly match the molecular alignment revivals, a significant polarization modulation of the THz radiation is observed and both linearly and elliptically polarized THz radiations can be obtained.     

有限厚度传导孔径对太赫兹脉冲的时空整形

太赫兹脉冲经时空整形后常被用在太赫兹光谱和成像上。用三维时域有限差分法模拟了矩形和圆形孔径的整形效应,模拟结果表明有限厚度矩形和圆形孔径对太赫兹脉冲能实现有效的整形和滤波。当矩形孔径长边垂直于入射波的偏振方向时,矩形孔径有较好的整形和滤波作用,当矩形孔径长边平行于入射波的偏振方向时,几乎没有明显的整形和滤波作用。圆形孔径具有比矩形孔径更加显著的整形和滤波作用。这些模拟结果用平面光波导理论可以得到很好的解释。     

Terahertz pulse shaping via birefringence in lithium niobate crystal

Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) is employed to study the spectral response of lithium niobate crystal. A giant birefringence occurs in lithium niobate crystal in the THz frequency region. We demonstrate that the waveform of the THz wave is controllable by use of the birefringence property of the crystal. We also show experimentally that one THz pulse can be separated into two coherent sub-pulses; the separation as well as the relative intensity of the two sub-pulses are adjustable by changing the crystal orientation with respect to the polarization of the THz beam.     

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.     

Giant optical activity and circular dichroism in the terahertz region based on bi-layer Y-shaped chiral metamaterial

We present a bi-layer Y-shaped chiral metamaterial (CMM) that can realize a giant optical activity and circular dichroism (CD) effect to the incident linear polarization wave in the terahertz (THz) region. Numerical simulation results exhibit that the pronounced CD effect with a great difference between the transmission coefficients for the circularly polarized waves can be obtained at 5.06 THz, meanwhile the 90°-polarization rotation can be observed at 5.2 THz when a y-polarized wave is incident to this CMM propagating along the −z-axis. The mechanism of the optical activity and giant CD effect is illustrated by simulated surface current distributions. Further, the influences of the structural parameters of the proposed CMM to the optical activity and CD effect have been investigated numerically.     

Multiband Terahertz Photonic Band Gaps of Subwavelength Planar Fractals

Optical transmission properties of subwavelength planar fractals in terahertz （THz） frequency regime are studied by means of time-domain spectroscopy. The transmission spectra with multiple pass bands and stop bands are observed. The tunable photonic band gaps are realized by changing the angle between the principle axis of planar fractal and the polarization of THz wave. The possible application of the subwavelength optical component is discussed. We attribute the detected transmittance from subwavelength fractals to localized resonances.     

基于VO2薄膜相变原理的温控太赫兹超材料调制器

利用二氧化钒薄膜绝缘相–金属相的相变特性, 提出了一种基于超材料的温控太赫兹调制器, 研究了相变超材料在太赫兹波段的传输特性和温控可调谐特性. 当入射太赫兹波为水平偏振或垂直偏振状态时, 器件的透过率谱线在1 THz附近呈现出两个独立的、中心频率分别为1.3 THz和1.7 THz、 带宽分别为0.2 THz和0.35 THz的 透射宽带. 当温度从40℃至80℃变化时, 两宽带的透过率发生明显的降低, 在二氧化钒的相变温度(68℃)时尤其灵敏, 对入射光的二种偏振状态, 调制深度均达到60%以上, 实现了良好的调制效果. 关键词： 太赫兹超材料 2薄膜')" href="#">VO₂薄膜 调制器 相变     

多功能太赫兹超表面偏振控制器

本文提出了一种“金属栅-开口环/硅环-金属栅”结构的透射式超表面偏振控制器, 研究了入射角度和抽运光对该器件传输及偏振态控制性能的影响. 研究结果表明, 当线偏振太赫兹波垂直入射时, 可对0.39-1.11 THz频段的太赫兹波实现偏振方向90°旋转, 偏振旋转效率为99%, 损耗为1 dB. 对于斜入射的情况, 偏振转换性能在0-60°范围内基本保持不变, 且透过率达到90%以上. 同时, 通过调控抽运光强度的方式, 该器件能够实现对透射与反射太赫兹光束的强度调制, 调制深度均达到90%, 且可以实现太赫兹波偏振分束功能. 该器件可以作为未来太赫兹空间光通信和信息处理的宽带、角度不敏感、可调谐的偏振转换器和分束器.     

Arbitrary linear THz wave polarization converter with cracked cross meta-surface

This Letter presents a double-layer structure combining a cracked cross meta-surface and grating surface to realize arbitrary incident linear terahertz(THz) wave polarization conversion. The arbitrary incident linear polarization THz wave will be induced with the same resonant modes in the unit cell, which results in polarization conversion insensitive to the linear polarization angle. Moreover, the zigzag-shaped resonant surface current leads to a strong magnetic resonance between the meta-surface and gratings, which enhances the conversion efficiency. The experimental results show that a more than 70% conversion rate can be achieved under arbitrary linear polarization within a wide frequency band. Moreover, around 0.89 THz nearly perfect polarization conversion is realized.     

利用变偏振光谱技术实现显微成像深度选择

在正交偏振光谱(OPS)微循环成像系统的基础上,提出了通过改变信号光的偏振态来实现成像深度的选择。传统的OPS系统利用的是正交线偏振光,只能获得图像在某一断层的二维信息,但作者通过控制系统起、检偏单元椭圆偏振光的椭圆度,可以在不进行机械扫描的情况下将成像光束聚焦在不同的断层,从而获得不同深度处的组织信息。构建的变偏振光谱成像系统将光源发射光谱与红血球吸收光谱相匹配,可以实现微血管的探测,且具有较高的信噪比。对一块含标记物的猪肉脂肪进行实验,并通过图像处理得到了对比度与信号光偏振态间的定量关系。实验结果表明：椭圆度由0°～45°增大,即从线偏振光向圆偏振光转变的过程中,对比度逐渐增大,可探测到的最大深度增大。最后利用该系统,对裸鼠耳廓微血管进行了变偏振光谱测量实验,实验证明了控制偏振态可以实现对血管不同深度的探测,为微血管断层光谱成像提供了一种新的研究手段。     

Optical Absorption Spectra and Intraband Dynamics in Terahertz-Driven Semiconductor Superlattice

We have theoretically investigated the optical absorption spectrum and intraband dynamics by subjecting a superlattice to both a terahertz (THz)-frequency driving field and an optical pulse by using an excitonic basis.In the presence of a THz dc field, the satellite structures in the absorption spectra are presented. The satellite structure is a result from the THz nonlinear dynamics of Wannier-Stark ladder excitons. On the other hand, the coherent intraband polarization is investigated. We find that the excitonic Bloch oscillation is driven by the THz field and yields an intraband polarization that continues to oscillate at times much longer than the intraband dephasing time. The temporal evolution of the slowly varying components of the intraband polarization is dependent on the THz frequency.     

Surface Emitting THz Wave Parametrical Oscillator Using MgO：LiNbO3

Room-temperature operation terahertz （THz） wave source is demonstrated using three MgO：LiNbO3 crystals which have a noncollinear arrangement. The experimental results show that the THz wave can be tunable from 0.8 THz to 3.0 THz, and the peak energy output is 103 pJ/pulse at 1.5 THz. The noncoilinear cavity configuration makes the THz beam have Gaussian-like spatial distribution, small divergence angle, perpendicularly eradiated from the crystal surface. The beam quality factor M2 is measured to be Mx^2 = 1.15, Mx^2 = 1.25 for characterizing the THz wave beam. Experiments also show that the THz beam can be focused by using a polyethylene lens, and the focal spot size is close to the diffraction limit.     

Effects of Pumping Sizes on THz Radiation Based on Ultrashort Light Pulse Optical Rectification for High Spatial Resolution T-Ray Imaging

We present our experimental studies on the effects of the pumping sizes on THz radiation based on ultrashort light pulse optical rectification for high spatial resolution T-Ray imaging. Our experiments show that high spatial resolution T-ray imaging requires both thin THz emitter and sample, and rigorous tolerance of the gap between the sample and the emitter, as well as small pumping size which usually much smaller compared with THz wavelength. Such a small pumping size results in dramatic decrease of the THz wave power, which originates from strong diffraction of THz wave, the depolarization of the focused tightly pumping beam, the spatial filtering of the emitter exit-surface, and the strong phase-mismatching between the pumping and the high spatial Fourier components of the THz signal, rather than two-photon absorption.     

基于狄拉克半金属的可调谐的太赫兹宽频带纯线偏振转换器

本文基于新型材料狄拉克半金属(Dirac semimetals,DSs),设计了一款高纯度宽频带可调谐线偏振转换器,偏振转换率(PCR)超过99%的相对带宽为15.72%。在频段5.25~6.14 THz内,椭度角接近0°,偏振方位角约等于-90°。这种转换性能主要是源于顶层超表面的各向异性和局域的表面等离子体激元谐振(LSPRs)的激发。此外,通过改变费米能的大小可以使所设计的偏振转换器在不同的频带范围内实现宽频带偏振转换。最后,通过半解析的方法对偏振转换特性进行了理论分析。该设计在太赫兹通信、成像、无损检测等领域具有一定的应用价值,同时为宽频带可调谐太赫兹线偏振转换器的设计提供了新思路。     

Terahertz-radiation-enhanced broadband terahertz generation from large aperture photoconductive antenna

A technique of enhancing and broadening terahertz (THz) wave radiation from large aperture photoconductive (PC) antenna is presented in this paper. In this technique, the PC antenna is excited by both the optical and previously generated THz pulses by a laser-induced air plasma created in front of PC antenna and an enhanced and broadened THz wave signal is obtained. The theoretical and experimental investigation shows that the superposition is the main mechanism for this enhancement. The technique shown in this paper can be very useful for THz imaging and spectroscopy.     

Design of terahertz wave polarizing beam splitter

In this paper, we design a THz wave polarizer based on a periodic symmetrical thin film structure, which operates over a broadband THz frequency region (1.0–2.0 THz) and over an effective wide range of incident THz wave (72–84°). The spectral performance of this structure is characterized by transfer matrix method calculations. Results of simulations show that the polarizer is highly transmittance for TE polarized THz wave as well as highly reflecting for TM polarized THz wave.     

Polarization-controlled dispersive wave redirection in dual-core photonic crystal fiber

The complex study of the polarization-controlled supercontinuum generation in a dual-core square lattice photonic crystal fiber made of multicomponent glass was accomplished. The fiber was excited by 100-fs pulses at a 1250-nm wavelength in the anomalous dispersion region and the registered spectra exhibited soliton fission and Raman-induced self-frequency shift processes. The study also involved a detailed analysis of the infrared-to-visible light conversion exhibiting a dispersive wave origin. The special dual-core properties were investigated by separate spectral analysis of each of the two cores and the near-field profile registration. The emphasis was on the visible part of the spectrum where the input energy and polarization direction dependences were studied. The increase in the input energy allowed for the tuning of the wavelength of the visible spectral features, a further rotation of the polarization direction had an effect on the spectral dependence of the light distribution between the cores. The dual-core fiber exhibited a significant coupling performance and the spectral dependence of the visible light distribution is in good agreement with the simulated coupling length spectral characteristics. Single-core excitation in the linear regime revealed the possibility of coupling 50% of the energy to the other core and the same polarization-controlled redirection possibilities as that at the nonlinear experiments. Dual-core excitation of the fiber enhances the light redirection effect with the application potential for the polarization-controlled directional coupler accompanied by nonlinear frequency conversion.