Simulation of THz emission from laser interaction with plasmas

One-dimensional particle-in-cell (PIC) program is used to simulate the generation of high power terahertz (THz) emission from the interaction of an ultrashort intense laser pulse with underdense plasma. The spectra of THz radiation are discussed under different laser intensity, pulse width, incident angle and density scale length. High-amplitude electron plasma wave driven by a laser wakefield can produce powerful THz emission through linear mode conversion under certain conditions. With incident laser intensity of 10¹⁸ W/cm², the generated emission is computed to be of the order of several MV/cm field and tens of MW level power. The corresponding energy conversion efficiency is several ten thousandths, which is higher then the efficiency of other THz source and suitable for the studies of THz nonlinear physics.     

Generation of electromagnetic waves in the terahertz frequency range by optical rectification of a Gaussian laser pulse in a plasma in presence of an externally applied static electric field

We propose a theoretical model for the generation of electromagnetic waves in the terahertz (THz) frequency range by the optical rectification of a Gaussian laser pulse in a plasma with an applied static electric field transverse to the direction of propagation. A Gaussian laser pulse can exert a transverse component of the quasi‐static ponderomotive force on the electrons at a frequency in the THz range by a suitable choice of the laser pulse width. This nonlinear force is responsible for the density oscillation. The coupling of this oscillation with the drift velocity acquired by electrons due to the applied static electric field leads to the generation of a nonlinear current density. A spatial Gaussian intensity profile of the laser beam enhances the generated THz yield by many folds as compared to a uniform spatial intensity profile.     

THz Radiation Generation via the Interaction of Ultra‐short Laser Pulses with the Molecular Hydrogen Plasma

In this paper, a two dimensional Particle In Cell‐Monte Carlo Collision simulation scheme is used to examine the THz generation via the interaction of high intensity ultra‐short laser pulses with an underdense molecular hydrogen plasma slab. The influences of plasma density, laser pulse duration and its intensity on the induced plasma current density and the subsequent effects on the generated THz signal characteristics are studied. It is observed that the induced current density in the plasma medium and THz spectral intensity are increased at the higher laser pulse intensities, laser pulse durations and plasma densities. Moreover, the generated THz electric field amplitude is reduced at the higher laser pulse durations. A wider frequency range for the generated THz signal is shown at the lower laser pulse durations and higher plasma densities. Additionally, it is found that the induced current density in hydrogen plasma medium is the dominant factor influencing the generation of THz pulse radiation. (© 2016 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Optimization of highly efficient terahertz generation in lithium niobate driven by Ti:sapphire laser pulses with 30 fs pulse duration

We systematically study the optimization of highly efficient terahertz(THz) generation in lithium niobate(LN)crystal pumped by 800 nm laser pulses with 30 fs pulse duration. At room temperature, we obtain a record optical-to-THz energy conversion efficiency of 0.43% by chirping the pump laser pulses. Our method provides a new technique for producing millijoule THz radiation in LN via optical rectification driven by joule-level Ti:sapphire laser systems, which deliver sub-50-fs pulse durations.     

激光等离子体光丝中太赫兹频谱的调控

研究了双色激光场激发空气成丝产生太赫兹辐射频谱的变化规律.实验观察到随驱动光功率和光丝长度增加,太赫兹光谱主要发生红移的现象.分析表明,由于等离子体密度的增加,太赫兹辐射的趋肤深度减小,等离子体吸收主导了红移的发生.在光丝足够短的条件下,趋肤深度远大于光丝长度,从而产生等离子体振荡主导的太赫兹辐射光谱蓝移.本研究为超快宽带太赫兹辐射的频谱调控提供了新思路.     

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.     

Terahertz emission in tenuous gases irradiated by ultrashort laser pulses

Mechanism of terahertz (THz) pulse generation in gases irradiated by ultrashort laser pulses is investigated theoretically. Quasi-static transverse currents produced by laser field ionization of gases and the longitudinal modulation in formed plasmas are responsible for the THz emission at the electron plasma frequency, as demonstrated by particle-in-cell simulations including field ionization. The THz field amplitude scaling with the laser amplitude within a large range is also discussed.     

Terahertz emission in tenuous gases irradiated by ultrashort laser pulses

Mechanism of terahertz (THz) pulse generation in gases irradiated by ultrashort laser pulses is investigated theoretically. Quasi-static transverse currents produced by laser field ionization of gases and the longitudinal modulation in formed plasmas are responsible for the THz emission at the electron plasma frequency, as demonstrated by particle-in-cell simulations including field ionization. The THz field amplitude scaling with the laser amplitude within a large range is also discussed.     

Characterizing the polarity of a few-cycle infrared laser pulse

We demonstrate the characterization of polarity and carrier-envelope (CE) phase of a linearly polarized few-cycle infrared (IR) laser pulse (12?fs, 1.8???m) using Terahertz (THz) emission spectroscopy. Crossed polarizers electro-optic sampling geometry is applied to record temporal waveforms of far field THz emission from air filament driven by the few-cycle IR pulse. The THz waveforms are dependent on the carrier-envelope (CE) phase periodically. We confirm that the THz waveform and the intensity can be used jointly to determine the phase of a few-cycle laser field in laboratory frame.     

THz radiation generation via the interaction of two‐colour ultra‐short laser pulses with SO2 and NH3 gases

In this work, using a two‐dimensional particle‐in‐cell Monte Carlo collision computation method, terahertz (THz) radiation generation via the interaction of two‐colour, ultra‐short, high‐power laser pulses with the polyatomic molecular gases sulphur dioxide (SO₂) and ammonia (NH₃) is examined. The influence of SO₂ and NH₃ pressures and two‐colour laser pulse parameters, i.e., pulse shape, pulse duration, and beam waist, on the THz radiation generation is studied. It is shown that the THz signal generation from SO₂ and NH₃ increases with the background gas pressure. It is seen that the THz emission intensity for both gases at higher laser pulse durations is higher. Moreover, for these polyatomic gases, the plasma current density increases with increase in the laser pulse beam waist. A more powerful THz radiation intensity with a larger time to peak of the plasma current density is observed for SO₂ compared to NH₃. In addition, many THz signals with small intensities are observed for both polyatomic gases. It is seen that for both SO₂ and NH₃ the generated THz spectral intensity is higher at higher gas pressures.     

THz generation via optical rectification with ultrashort laser pulse focused to a line

We report on efficient THz pulse generation via optical rectification with femtosecond laser pulses focused to a line by a cylindrical lens. This configuration provides phase-matched conditions in the superluminal regime. 35 pJ THz pulses have been generated with this technique in a stoichiometric LiNbO₃ crystal pumped by 2 μJ femtosecond laser pulses at room temperature. An unusual superquadratic rise of the THz pulse energy with the laser pulse energy has been observed at high laser energies. This extraordinary energy dependence of the THz generation efficiency is explained by self-focusing of the laser beam in the crystal. Z-scan measurements and comparison of the THz pulse spectra created with laser pulses having different energies confirm this interpretation.     

Terahertz-pulse generation by photoionization of air with laser pulses composed of both fundamental and second-harmonic waves

Intense radiation in the terahertz (THz) frequency range can be generated by focusing of an ultrashort laser pulse composed of both a fundamental wave and its second-harmonic field into air, as reported previously by Cook et al. [Opt. Lett. 25, 1210 (2000)]. We identify a threshold for THz generation that proves that generation of a plasma is required and that the nonlinearity of air is insufficient to explain our measurements. An additional THz field component generated in the type I beta-barium borate crystal used for second-harmonic generation has to be considered if one is to avoid misinterpretation of this kind of experiment. We conclude with a comparison that shows that the plasma emitter is competitive with other state-of-the-art THz emitters.     

Influence factor analysis of field-free molecular orientation

The effects of the characteristics of molecules and external fields on field-free molecular orientation are investigated through the comparison of HBr with LiH driven by the combination of a two-color laser pulse and a time-delayed THz laser pulse. It is shown that the dipole interaction has greater influence on field-free orientation than the hyperpolarizability interaction. In addition to the temperature dependence of orientation degree, the effects of the amplitudes of the two-color laser pulse and THz laser pulse, rising time, and THz laser frequency on molecular orientation are also discussed.     

强激光与等离子体相互作用产生的超强太赫兹辐射

超短强激光脉冲在等离子体中传播时会激发大振幅的等离子体尾波场，它是一种电子等离子体波．由于这是一种静电波，它一般不能转换成电磁辐射．我们发现在不均匀等离子体中激发的尾波场在一定条件下可以通过线性模式转换产生电磁辐射．由于用超短强激光脉冲尾波场可以达到的电场振幅达100GV／m，其振动频率在太赫兹（10^12Hz）附近，用这种方法可以产生电场强度达到GV／m的太赫兹辐射．     

The dependence on optical energy of terahertz emission from air plasma induced by two-color femtosecond laser-pulses

The generation of terahertz （THz） emission from air plasma induced by two-color femtosecond laser pulses is studied on the basis of a transient photocurrent model. While the gas is ionized by the two-color femtosecond laser-pulses com- posed of the fundamental and its second harmonic, a non-vanishing directional photoelectron current emerges, radiating a THz electromagnetic pulse. The gas ionization processes at three different laser-pulse energies are simulated, and the corresponding THz waveforms and spectra are plotted. The results demonstrate that, by keeping the laser-pulse width and the relative phase between two pulses invariant when the laser energy is at a moderate value, the emitted THz fields are significantly enhanced with a near-linear dependence on the optical energy.     

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.     

Broadband Terahertz Wave Generation from Monolayer Graphene Driven by Few-Cycle Laser Pulse

We theoretically investigate the characteristics of terahertz(THz) radiation from monolayer graphene exposed to normal incident few-cycle laser pulses, by numerically solving the extended semiconductor Bloch equations. Our simulations show that the THz spectra in low frequency regions are highly dependent on the carrier envelope phase(CEP) of driving laser pulses. Using an optimal CEP of few-cycle laser pulses, we can obtain broadband strong THz waves, due to the symmetry breaking of the laser-graphene system. Our results also show that the strength of the THz spectra depend on both the intensity and central wavelength of the laser pulses. The intensity dependence of the THz wave can be described by the excitation rate of graphene, while wavelength dependence can be traced back to the band velocity and the population of graphene. We find that a near single-cycle THz pulse can be obtained from graphene driven by a mid-infrared laser pulse.     

Water vapor: An extraordinary terahertz wave source under optical excitation

In modern terahertz (THz) sensing and imaging spectroscopy, water is considered a nemesis to be avoided due to strong absorption in the THz frequency range. Here we report the first experimental demonstration and theoretical implications of using femtosecond laser pulses to generate intense broadband THz emission from water vapor. When we focused an intense laser pulse in water vapor contained in a gas cell or injected from a gas jet nozzle, an extraordinarily strong THz field from optically excited water vapor is observed. Water vapor has more than 50% greater THz generation efficiency than dry nitrogen. It had previously been assumed that the nonlinear generation of THz waves in this manner primarily involves a free-electron plasma, but we show that the molecular structure plays an essential role in the process. In particular, we found that THz wave generation from H₂O vapor is significantly stronger than that from D₂O vapor. Vibronic activities of water cluster ions, occurring naturally in water vapor, may possibly contribute to the observed isotope effect along with rovibrational contributions from the predominant monomers.     

Generation of coherent terahertz phonons by sharp focusing of a femtosecond laser beam in the bulk of crystalline insulators in a regime of plasma formation

The generation of coherent terahertz phonons in a regime of plasma formation by a femtosecond laser radiation with an intensity of 10¹³ W/cm² in the bulk of crystalline quartz has been detected by the method of probing by a probe pulse of the third harmonic. A smooth increase in the frequency of coherent terahertz phonons from 2.2 to 5.5 THz has been detected, along with its subsequent sharp decrease down to 2.2 THz due to an α-β phase transition in crystalline quartz. The generation of 1-THz coherent phonons has been detected in BaF₂ crystals. A smooth variation of the frequency of coherent phonons from 2 to 2.5 THz has been detected in leucosapphire. The generation of coherent phonons during local laser excitation in CaF₂ and LiF crystals develops at the frequencies of 2.3 and 0.1 THz, respectively.     

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.