Cherenkov terahertz radiation from Dirac semimetals surface plasmon polaritons excited by an electron beam

We demonstrate a physical mechanism for terahertz(THz) generation from surface plasmon polaritons(SPPs). In a structure with a bulk Dirac semimetals(BDSs) film deposited on a dielectric substrate, the energy of the asymmetric SPP mode can be significantly enhanced to cross the light line of the substrate due to the SPP-coupling between the interfaces of the film. Therefore, the SPPs can be immediately transformed into Cherenkov radiation without removing the wavevector mismatch. Additionally, the symmetric SPP mode can also be dramatically lifted to cross the substrate light line when a buffer layer with low permittivity relative to the substrate is introduced. In this case, dual-frequency THz radiation from the two SPP modes can be generated simultaneously. The radiation intensity is significantly enhanced by over two orders due to the field enhancement of the SPPs. The radiation frequency can be tuned in the THz frequency regime by adjusting the beam energy and the chemical potential of the BDSs. Our results could find potential applications in developing room temperature, tunable, coherent, and intense THz radiation sources to cover the entire THz band.     

激光在大气中驱动的强太赫兹辐射的理论和实验研究

两束双色激光脉冲能在大气中产生MV/cm的强太赫兹波.本文主要介绍了我们最近的三项理论和实验工作,澄清了双色激光方案的物理机制这个长期存在的问题,并对该方案进行了推广.为了在气体中有效地产生太赫兹波,在广泛研究的双色激光方案中两束激光的频率比ω_2/ω_1总是被取为1:2.首先从理论上预测采用其他频率比时,此方案仍能有效地工作,并通过实验进行证实.实验上观察到在新的频率比ω_2/ω_1=1:4,2:3下,也能有效地产生太赫兹波;观察到通过旋转较长波长的激光脉冲的偏振方向,能够有效地调节太赫兹波的偏振,但是旋转波长较短的激光脉冲的偏振方向,太赫兹波的偏振几乎没有变化,这违背了多波混频理论中极化率张量对称性的要求;采用不同的频率比时,太赫兹能量定标率并没有显示出明显的区别,这与多波混频理论预测的能量定标率不符.这些实验结果与等离子体电流模型及粒子模拟结果符合得很好.因此,该研究不仅对双色激光方案进行了推广,而且证实了其物理机制应该归结为等离子体电流模型.     

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.     

Modeling of terahertz radiation emission from a free‐electron laser

In this article, we report the generation of terahertz (THz) radiation using the interaction of a laser‐modulated relativistic electron beam (REB) with a surface plasma wave. Two laser beams propagating through the modulator interact with the REB, leading to velocity modulation of the beam. This results in pre‐bunching of the REB. The pre‐bunched beam travels through the drift space, where the velocity modulation translates into density modulation. The density‐modulated beam, on interacting with the surface plasma pump wave, acquires an oscillatory velocity that couples with the modulated beam density to give rise to a nonlinear current density which acts as an antenna to give THz radiation. By optimizing the parameters of the beam and the wiggler, we obtain power of the order of 10⁻⁴ using the current scheme.     

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.     

Determination of the temporal profile of a terahertz pulse by applying the nonlinear-optical cross-correlation method

The nonlinear-optical cross-correlation method is proposed to determine the temporal profile of the electric field of a pulse terahertz radiation modulating the phase of the basic femtosecond laser pulse in an electrooptical crystal. In this method the measurement of the temporal profile of the electric field of the terahertz radiation pulse is realized in one laser pulse.     

Modeling the terahertz radiation generation process,obtained by filtration of spectral supercontinuum,formed during propagation of femtosecond laser pulse in GaAs crystal

We present the results of theoretical studies of the process of generation of terahertz radiation arising via interaction of few-cycle laser pulses propagating in an isotropic nonlinear medium. Numerical time-integration, by the finite-difference method, of the system of nonlinear Maxwell equations has been performed. We consider the interaction of mutually-orthogonal linearly polarized pulses, both having the central wavelength of 1.98 μm, durations of 30 fs, and the energies of 30 nJ, propagating along the normal to the 〈110〉 plane in a 1 mm-thickness GaAs crystal. In the nonlinear part of the medium polarization the without-inertia nonlinear second-order susceptibility is taken into account. The process of formation of a terahertz pulse arising via spectral filtration of supercontinuum formed in the spectra of pump pulses at the output of nonlinear crystal is studied. The dependences of both the current frequency of the pump pulses on time for different lengths of nonlinear crystal and of pump pulse durations on the crystal length are obtained. Also the dependences of the current frequency of the terahertz pulse on time at different crystal lengths, as well as of the efficiency of generation of terahertz radiation on the length of nonlinear crystal and on the energy of pump pulses are obtained.     

Stimulated Emission of Gamma Photon from Ultrashort Pulse Intense Laser-Solid-Target Interaction

The efficient production of energetic γ photons is a significant physical process in the relativistic ultrashortpulse laser-plasma inducing photonuclear action. Based on the interaction of laser-solid-target, an analytical theory onstimulated γ photon emission from a hot electron firing the target-nucleus is developed by a relativistic full quantummethod. The emitting power or probability of γ photon in arbitrary space direction can be calculated for laser irradiatingsolid-target normally. It is valid only if the scatter-centre is immovable or its motion can be neglected compared withthat of the scattered electrons.     

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．     

电子在激光驻波场中运动产生的太赫兹及X射线辐射研究

采用单电子模型和经典辐射理论分别对低能和高能电子在线偏振激光驻波场中的运动和辐射过程进行了研究. 结果表明: 垂直于激光电场方向入射的低速电子在激光驻波场中随着光强的增大, 逐渐从一维近周期运动演变为二维折叠运动, 并产生强的微米量级波长的太赫兹辐射; 高能电子垂直或者平行于激光电场方向入射到激光驻波场中, 都会产生波长在几个纳米的高频辐射; 低能电子与激光驻波场作用中, 激光强度影响着电子的运动形式、辐射频率以及辐射强度; 高能电子入射时, 激光强度影响了电子高频辐射的强度, 电子初始能量影响着辐射的频率; 电子能量越高, 产生的辐射频率越大. 研究表明可以由激光加速电子的方式得到不同能量的电子束, 并利用电子束在激光驻波场的辐射使之成为太赫兹和X射线波段的小型辐射源. 研究结果可以为实验研究和利用激光驻波场中的电子辐射提供依据.     

Analysis of generation of terahertz radiation by nonlinear mixing of laser frequencies in GaAs crystal

Generation of terahertz (THz) radiation by nonlinear mixing of laser frequencies in GaAs crystal is considered for the case of free and guided propagation of THz waves. In the first case the strong diffraction of the THz radiation leads to the deviation from the known square-law growth of the generator power with increasing crystal length, In the second case the spatial divergence of the exciting laser beam results in the appearance of a maximum in the generated power dependence on the radius of the nonlinear waveguide. According to estimations, the optimal radius of the laser beam is 18 μm for the waveguide length of 6 mm and the maximal generated THz power is ～27 W at the laser beam power of 10 kW.     

Resonant detection of terahertz radiation utilizing plasma waves in high-electron-mobility transistors

This paper theoretically studies the high-electron-mobility transistor （HEMT） driven by the terahertz radiation. It calculates the gate-to-source/drain admittance and the detection responsivity of the HEMT as a function of the signal frequency. It finds that the peaks of the admittances and the responsivity show redshift, and the heights of the peaks decrease with increasing the lengths of the source-to-gate and gate-to-drain spacing. Such phenomena may be useful in designing different HEMTs by utilizing the effects associated with the plasma oscillations excitation.     

Nonlinear dynamics in wurtzite InN diodes under terahertz radiation

We carry out a theoretical study of nonlinear dynamics in terahertz-driven n⁺nn⁺ wurtzite InN diodes by using time-dependent drift diffusion equations. A cooperative nonlinear oscillatory mode appears due to the negative differential mobility effect, which is the unique feature of wurtzite InN aroused by its strong nonparabolicity of the Γ₁ valley. The appearance of different nonlinear oscillatory modes, including periodic and chaotic states, is attributed to the competition between the self-sustained oscillation and the external driving oscillation. The transitions between the periodic and chaotic states are carefully investigated using chaos-detecting methods, such as the bifurcation diagram, the Fourier spectrum and the first return map. The resulting bifurcation diagram displays an interesting and complex transition picture with the driving amplitude as the control parameter.     

New approach of semiconductor laser related technologies for ultrafast photonics

Ultrashort laser pulses offer new jump in information and communication technology. Especially semiconductor laser based ultrafast photonic devices and systems are promising. We review our new approaches for femtosecond pulse generation, and thin film technology for broad band semiconductor optical amplifiers.     

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.     

Nonlinear dynamics in wurtzite InN diodes under terahertz radiation

We carry out a theoretical study of nonlinear dynamics in terahertz-driven n+ nn+ wurtzite InN diodes by using time-dependent drift diffusion equations.A cooperative nonlinear oscillatory mode appears due to the negative differential mobility effect,which is the unique feature of wurtzite InN aroused by its strong nonparabolicity of the Γ 1 valley.The appearance of different nonlinear oscillatory modes,including periodic and chaotic states,is attributed to the competition between the self-sustained oscillation and the external driving oscillation.The transitions between the periodic and chaotic states are carefully investigated using chaos-detecting methods,such as the bifurcation diagram,the Fourier spectrum and the first return map.The resulting bifurcation diagram displays an interesting and complex transition picture with the driving amplitude as the control parameter.     

Characteristics of terahertz coherent transition radiation generated from picosecond ultrashort electron bunches

This paper presents a method of generating terahertz (THz) coherent transition radiation (CTR) from picosecond ultrashort electron bunches including single and train bunches, which are produced by a photocathode radio frequency gun. The radiation characteristics of THz CTR including formation factor and energy spectrum are analysed in detail. With the help of a 2-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation, the radiation characteristics including power, energy and magnetic field are analysed. The results show that the radiation frequency can be adjusted by tuning the repetition frequency of the train bunch and the energy can be enhanced with the train bunches.     

0.14 THz高功率太赫兹脉冲的参数测量

给出了0.14 THz高功率单次脉冲信号的频率和功率的测量方法及实验结果。针对高功率太赫兹脉冲频率高、峰值功率高和脉宽短的特点,实验中采用了截止波导滤波法与谐波混频法相结合的方式准确测定了脉冲信号频率,利用辐射场功率密度积分法获取了辐射脉冲的远场功率分布,并给出了单次脉冲的辐射功率。某实验条件下的测量结果表明,0.14 THz高功率太赫兹脉冲的频率为0.146 3 THz,脉宽约为1.5 ns,功率不小于0.5 MW。     

强激光与等离子体相互作用中低频电磁场孤子波的产生及其捕获

用二维粒子模拟程序研究了超短脉冲强激光与等离子体相互作用中局域低频电磁场的产生现象.这种低频电磁场在超短脉冲激光激发尾波场、脉冲后沿产生频率下移的过程中形成.通常它们的振荡频率接近于或低于电子等离子体振荡频率，因而被捕获在等离子体中(即传播速度接近于零).在演化过程中，通常它们以孤子场的形式出现.这种孤子波的形成及其演化与离子运动有极大关系.用相对论强激光脉冲可以产生达到相对论振幅的电磁场孤子波，后者可以把离子加速到非常高的能量.研究还表明，在二维几何位形下，孤子波产生与入射光的偏振态有很大关系.     

Generation of coherent terahertz radiation by photomixing of dual-mode lasers

We have reviewed and discussed the generation of continuous-wave terahertz radiation by the photomixing of dual-mode lasers, which includes a multi-mode laser diode (LD), a dual-mode microchip laser, a monolithic dual-mode DBR LD, and a widely tunable dual-mode external cavity LD. It is demonstrated by several experiments that the beat frequency of a dual-mode laser is more stable than the original laser modes because of the common-mode rejection effect. We also suggest a novel scheme by which the optical beat is stabilized to less than 1 kHz and its frequency can be precisely determined as well.