Integrated injection seeded terahertz source and amplifier for time-domain spectroscopy

We used a terahertz (THz) quantum cascade laser (QCL) as an integrated injection seeded source and amplifier for THz time-domain spectroscopy. A THz input pulse is generated inside a QCL by illuminating the laser facet with a near-IR pulse from a femtosecond laser and amplified using gain switching. The THz output from the QCL is found to saturate upon increasing the amplitude of the THz input power, which indicates that the QCL is operating in an injection seeded regime.     

Experimental study on terahertz radiation

In this letter, we describe a coherent subpicosecond terahertz (THz) spectroscopy system based on nonresonant optical rectification for the generation of THz radiation. We studied the two-photon absorption (TPA) of ZnTe induced by femtosecond laser pulses via THz generation, and its influence on the generation of THz radiation. Experimental results demonstrated that the intensity of pump beam against TPA must be traded off to get an optimum generation of THz radiation. As an example, we measured absorption spectrum of water vapor by time-domain spectroscopy (TDS) in the frequency range from 0.5 to 2.5 THzwith a high overall accuracy.     

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.     

Design and analysis of a metallic waveguide with a DAST cap for continuously phase-matched terahertz difference frequency generation

We present a novel source for continuous terahertz (THz) wave generation using an organic ionic salt, 4-dimethylamino-N-methyl-4-stilbazolium-tosylate (DAST). THz waves are generated based on difference frequency generation (DFG) in the device. Phase matching condition and THz generation between 1.3 THz and 2.7 THz, for optical pump around 1.6 μm, are investigated. Our calculations predict that the device produces a relatively high THz output power of 11.07 μW from a 4 cm long waveguide at 2 THz.     

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.     

基于金属孔阵列的聚酰亚胺薄膜太赫兹探测

优化设计了多种不同孔径和形状的太赫兹波段的亚波长金属孔阵列结构,结合超薄低折射率的聚酰亚胺（PI）薄膜,探索了太赫兹时域光谱技术对超薄低折射率的探测灵敏性。利用飞秒微加工技术制备了一系列亚波长金属孔阵列结构,利用太赫兹时域光谱技术测试了阵列结构的反射波谱,获得了强烈的反射共振现象。然后在亚波长金属孔阵列结构背面叠加PI薄膜,结果表明太赫兹反射峰出现了显著低频移动现象。利用这一现象,实现了低至10 m的PI薄膜的有效探测,说明亚波长金属孔阵列结构在太赫兹传感领域对检测超薄低折射率薄膜材料有极强敏感性。收稿日期:; 修订日期:     

基于圆台结构的超宽带极化不敏感太赫兹吸收器

本文提出一种基于圆台形吸收单元的超宽带、极化不敏感的超材料太赫兹吸收器. 该超材料吸收器采用金属薄膜金和介质层二氧化硅交替叠加的多层结构. 采用商业软件CST Studio Suite 2009时域求解器计算了其在0–10 THz波段内的吸收率A（ω）,在2–10 THz之间实现了对入射太赫兹波的超宽频带强吸收. 仿真结果表明,由于其圆台形单元结构,在器件垂直方向上形成一系列不同尺寸的微型吸收器,产生了吸收频点相连的多频吸收峰. 利用不同吸收峰的耦合叠加效应,获得超过8 THz的超宽带太赫兹波吸收,吸收强度达到92.3%以上. 这一结构具有超宽带强吸收,360°极化不敏感以及易于加工等优越特性,因而在太赫兹波探测器、光谱成像以及隐身技术方面具有潜在的应用. 关键词： 太赫兹波 超材料吸收器 圆台结构 超宽带     

有机电光晶体4-(4-二甲基氨基苯乙烯基)甲基吡啶对甲基苯磺酸盐的太赫兹光谱研究

采用色散校正的密度泛函理论(dispersion-corrected density functional theory,DFT-D2)对有机电光晶体4-(4-二甲基氨基苯乙烯基)甲基吡啶对甲基苯磺酸盐(4-N,N-dimethylamino-4′-N′-methyl-stilbazolium tosylate,DAST)进行结构优化和太赫兹光谱计算,通过逐步提高精度进行几何优化的方法寻找DAST收敛的基态稳定结构,获得与DAST初始结构相一致的基态稳定结构.在此结构的基础上,在0—4 THz范围的太赫兹计算光谱与实验测量结果一致,说明采用DFT-D2进行优化的合理性.重要的是,首次通过计算的太赫兹光谱对DAST在0—4 THz范围的太赫兹吸收峰的振动模式进行了详细归属.结果表明:1.12 THz处的振动是DAST阴阳离子的光学声子模式,1.46 THz和1.54 THz两处的振动主要与磺酸盐有关,而2.63 THz和3.16 THz两处的振动则分别源于阳离子的扭转振动和阴离子的转动.该结果不仅很好地说明了阴阳离子分别在太赫兹响应中的贡献,而且为今后通过取代阴阳离子基团获取具有更高二阶非线性效应的DAST衍生物的新合成提供了重要的参考和指导.本文结果说明密度泛函理论在太赫兹光子学上的重要应用,对探究有机电光晶体的太赫兹响应物理原理、性能控制等具有重要的指导价值.     

Terahertz-wave generation in a conventional optical fiber

We theoretically propose surface-emitted and collinear phase-matched terahertz (THz)-wave generation in a conventional optical fiber. The third-order nonlinear effect, four-wave mixing (FWM), is used to generate THz waves in an optical fiber. Surface-emitted THz-wave generation via FWM is realized using a single-mode fiber. Perfect phase matching is obtained at ~800 nm and 1.5 microm pumping, and it follows that third-order polarization in an optical fiber has the same phase at any point. In this situation, the optical fiber acts like a phased array antenna of the THz wave. Collinear phase-matching THz waves are obtained under the same conditions as for surface-emitted THz waves, and the THz wave is propagated in the silica cladding of the optical fiber. This is a promising method for realizing a reasonable THz-wave source.     

Coherent Interband and Intersubband Dynamics in Terahertz-Driven GaAs Quantum Wells

We theoretically investigate the optical absorption spectra and charge density by subjecting a GaAs quantum well to both an intense terahertz (THz)-frequency driving field and an optical pulse within the theory of density matrix. In presence of a strong THz field, the optical transitions in quantum well subbands are altered by the THz field. The alteration has a direct impact on the optical absorption and the charge density. The excitonic peak splitting and THz optical sideband in the absorption spectra show up when changing the THz field intensity and/or frequency. The Autler-Towns splitting is a result from the THz nonlinear dynamics of confined excitons. On the other hand, the carrier charge density is created as wave packets formed by coherent superposition of several eigenstates. The charge density exhibitsquantum beats for short pulses and/or wider wells and is modulated by the THz field.     

Terahertz coherent transition radiation based on an ultrashort electron bunching beam

The experimental result of terahertz (THz) coherent transition radiation generated from an ultrashort electron bunching beam is reported.During this experiment,the window for THz transmission from ultrahigh vacuum to free air is tested.The compact measurement system which can simultaneously test the THz wave power and frequency is built and proofed.With the help of improved Martin-Puplett interferometer and Kramers-Krong transform,the longitudinal bunch length is measured.The results show that the peak power of THz radiation wave is more than 80 kW,and its radiation frequency is from 0.1 THz to 1.5 THz.     

Approach to broadband terahertz pulse field detection and recovery with electro-optic sampling measurement

Electro-optic sampling (EOS) measurement of terahertz (THz) pulses inherently leads to distortions, especially for relatively broadband THz pulses. In this paper, we proposed an approach to broadband THz pulse field detection and recovery with EOS measurement. In our approach, we use an EOS measurement utilizing a thick GaP crystal, which has a high transverse optical phonon frequency, to reduce the distortions caused by dispersive propagation, interface reflection and Fabry-Perot effect (multiple reflections within an EO crystal). And a retrieval algorithm is designed to eliminate the distortion of broadband THz pluses after passing through the thick GaP crystal (The distortion in a thick GaP crystal is mainly attributed to phase mismatching between the THz pulse and the sampling laser pulse.), in which preconditioned conjugated gradient method is used.     

Broadband terahertz light source pumped by a 1 μm picosecond laser

We obtained a frequency tunable, low-coherence, picosecond, terahertz (THz) output with a high repetition rate from a picosecond Nd:YVO₄ bounce laser in combination with tandem periodically poled stoichiometric lithium tantalate and 4′-dimethylamino-N-methyl-4-stilbazolium tosylate crystals. The frequency of the THz output was tunable in the range 2.1–7.1 THz with a linewidth of ~3.5 THz at 2.2 THz. The THz output had a maximum peak power of ~180 mW and an average power of ~0.65 μW at 3.9 THz. This system has the potential to realize ultra-high speed, THz coherence tomography.     

基于BWO连续太赫兹波成像系统的无损检测

介绍了一种基于返波管（BWO）的太赫兹波成像系统。BWO连续太赫兹波成像是一种新的无损检测方法。实验过程中把样品放在X-Z二维电控平移台上进行扫描成像,透过样品的太赫兹波强度信息由热释电探测器接收,然后经过电脑成像。给出了应用0.71THz的连续太赫兹波对打孔铝板、公交卡、校园卡的内部结构和对隐藏在信封内硬币等物体和信封内纸片上的铅字迹的成像实验研究事例,并且测知该系统能够分辨出直径最小为1.5mm的小孔。这项工作揭示了使用BWO连续太赫兹波成像系统在无损检测和安全检查领域是有效的。     

激光等离子体太赫兹辐射源的频率控制

实验研究了双色超快强激光场作用于氮气分子束所产生的宽带太赫兹(THz)辐射光谱随等离子体介质的密度和长度的依赖关系, 发现THz辐射的中心频率随等离子体密度提高和长度减小而增大(0.8-1.4 THz), 且谱宽也随之增加(0.78-1.53 THz). 分析和计算表明, 太赫兹光谱的变化由等离子体振荡频率和谱宽决定. 该发现为等离子体宽带太赫兹辐射源的光谱操控提供了新思路.     

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.     

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.     

太赫兹量子级联激光器研究进展

太赫兹技术涉及电磁学、光电子学、半导体物理学、材料科学以及微加工技术等多个学科，它在信息科学、生物学、医学、天文学、环境科学等领域有重要的应用价值．太赫兹辐射源是太赫兹频段应用的关键器件．本文简要介绍了太赫兹电磁波的研究背景、重要特点以及潜在应用，重点讨论了太赫兹半导体量子级联激光器的工作原理和研究进展等．     

2.5THz环烯烃聚合物中空芯光子晶体光纤设计与实验

采用全矢量有限元法,仿真设计了一种工作在2.5THz频段的中空芯太赫兹光子晶体光纤,用环烯烃聚合物材料(COC)制备了光纤样品,利用CO2激光泵浦气体太赫兹源搭建了测试平台并对光纤的太赫兹波传输性能进行了测试。实测光纤最低损耗0.17dB/cm、平均损耗约0.5dB/cm,在弯曲90°情况下光纤传输损耗波动小于5%,具有良好的可弯曲性;光纤输出端口的模场分布测试结果表明,光纤是以主模进行传输,太赫兹能量很好地被束缚在光纤芯中。