Terahertz wave modulator based on optically controllable metamaterial

We demonstrated experimentally a terahertz wave modulator based on optically controlled metamaterial. The signal modulation mechanism of the presented terahertz wave modulator was based on the resonance characteristic of metamaterial controlled without or with light excitation. A modulated semiconductor laser with 808 nm wavelength was employed to light the substrate. The interaction between the metamaterial and terahertz wave was strengthened and yielded an appreciable modulation of the terahertz output beam. The modulation speed is 0.1 Kb/s and the modulation depth of the proposed terahertz modulator is about 57% at a frequency of 0.32 THz.     

Generation and detection of terahertz radiation by means of periodically and aperiodically poled crystals

The nonlinear optical methods for generating and detecting terahertz radiation using periodically and aperiodically poled crystals in the quasi-phase-matching mode are analyzed. Two radically different versions of optical pumping are considered: a quasi-continuous mode and pumping by Fourier-limited femto-second pulses. General relations are obtained, which determine the spectra of generated and detected waves through the optical pumping parameters and the crystal generator and crystal detector nonlinear transfer functions. It is shown that, by choosing the optimal spatial modulation of the crystal nonlinear susceptibility, one can control the shape of the generation and detection spectra. An optical scheme is proposed and the optimal parameters of domain structures for quasi-phase-matched generation and frequency-matched detection of forward and backward terahertz waves under quasi-continuous-wave optical pumping are reported.     

Controlling single-photon Fock-state propagation through opaque scattering media

The control of light scattering is essential in many quantum optical experiments. Wavefront shaping is a technique used for ultimate control over wave propagation through multiple-scattering media by adaptive manipulation of incident waves. We control the propagation of single-photon Fock states through opaque scattering media by spatial phase modulation of the incident wavefront. We enhance the probability that a single photon arrives in a target output mode with a factor 30. Our proof-of-principle experiment shows that the propagation of quantum light through multiple-scattering media can be controlled, with prospective applications in quantum communication and quantum cryptography.     

Review About the Optical-Controlled Terahertz Waves Modulator

Abstract

A review of optical-controlled modulators in terahertz regime is presented. Regular semiconductor materials and organic materials at the terahertz frequencies enable fascinating modulation behaviors, including frequency shift and phase and amplitude modulation, observed in devices of subwavelength dimensions. Modulation enhancement was realized by changing the carrier concentration of the local or whole surface in arrays of various structure cells involved with split-ring resonators, holes, and apertures. We also illustrate some new methods to realize modulation for electromagnetic waves. Optical-controlled modulators and the novel manipulation methods will find amazing applications in terahertz communication, imaging, and sensing.     

基于液晶空间光调制器的太赫兹波频谱调制

频谱可调制的太赫兹波具有广泛的应用价值。利用一台纯相位式的液晶空间光调制器对飞秒激光脉冲进行空间整形,通过改变飞秒激光脉冲的横向空间分布,实现太赫兹波频谱的调制。在实验中,利用光泵浦整流方式产生太赫兹波,并利用太赫兹时域光谱系统对太赫兹信号进行探测。通过GS算法在液晶空间光调制器上加载不同的相位图,获得了不同的飞秒激光脉冲横向空间分布。通过改变探测距离和飞秒脉冲的空间分布参数,实现了太赫兹波频谱的调制。还利用菲涅尔衍射算法对这一过程进行了理论模拟,理论模拟结果与实验结果吻合的较好,这充分说明了基于飞秒脉冲空间整形的太赫兹光谱调制技术的可行性。     

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.     

Multi-function terahertz wave manipulation utilizing Fourier convolution operation metasurface

We propose a novel metasurface based on a combined pattern of outer C-shaped ring and inner rectangular ring. By Fourier convolution operation to generating different predesigned sequences of metasurfaces, we realize various functionalities to flexible manipulate terahertz waves including vortex terahertz beam splitting, anomalous vortex terahertz wave deflection, vortex terahertz wave splitting and deflection simultaneously. The incident terahertz wave can be flexibly controlled in a single metasurface. The designed metasurface has an extensive application prospect in the field of future terahertz communication and sensing.     

Gigahertz modulators using bulk acousto-optic interactions in thin-film waveguides

When bulk acoustic waves are applied to an optical waveguide, several modulation effects are observed, depending on the type of wave (longitudinal or shear). Longitudinal sound waves frequency-shift the guided light, thus providing a means of modulating light in a wide variety of waveguide materials. Using thin-film mosaic acoustic transducer technology, we have demonstrated such modulation at frequencies in the gigahertz region. By segmenting the acoustic transducer electrodes, the same arrangement can be used for deflecting the light since, with this arrangement, the acoustic field sets up a time-varying grating whose spatial frequency is set by the segment spacing. Theoretical frequency limitations on these devices do not appear to be important until approximately 30 GHz is reached. Thus, they are potentially useful for extremely wide-band data links. Experiments at 1.5 GHz show 30% bandwidth of acoustic modulation using optical heterodyne detection.     

Coherent versus incoherent modulation of a resonant level: the effect of modulation noise on the propagation of light through quantum wells

The propagation of a weak light beam through a quantum well in the vicinity of an excitonic resonance that is modulated harmonically in time at terahertz frequency is considered. It is found that the reflection probability of the light beam is considerably different in the cases of purely coherent versus Gaussian incoherent terahertz modulation, even in the limit of long coherence times.     

Dynamics of the amplitude and phase of a signal in the process of quasi-phase-matched parametric interaction

The parametric amplification of a light wave in nonlinear optical crystals under a high-frequency pump and a periodic spatial modulation of the coefficient of nonlinear coupling of the waves is considered. The value of the period of modulation of the nonlinear coefficient that corresponds to the maximum gain is found. The behavior of the phase and intensity of the amplified wave is studied using the matrix approach. For the case of the optimum phase relation between the interacting waves, the expression for the intensity of the amplified wave is obtained, which, in the limit, gives the result for a homogeneous nonlinear crystal.     

Gigahertz modulators using bulk acousto-optic interactions in thin-film waveguides

Abstract

When bulk acoustic waves are applied to an optical waveguide, several modulation effects are observed, depending on the type of wave (longitudinal or shear). Longitudinal sound waves frequency-shift the guided light, thus providing a means of modulating light in a wide variety of waveguide materials. Using thin-film mosaic acoustic transducer technology, we have demonstrated such modulation at frequencies in the gigahertz region. By segmenting the acoustic transducer electrodes, the same arrangement can be used for deflecting the light since, with this arrangement, the acoustic field sets up a time-varying grating whose spatial frequency is set by the segment spacing. Theoretical frequency limitations on these devices do not appear to be important until approximately 30 GHz is reached. Thus, they are potentially useful for extremely wide-band data links. Experiments at 1.5 GHz show 30% bandwidth of acoustic modulation using optical heterodyne detection.     

基于石墨烯的光学控制窄带太赫兹开关

本文提出了一种光控太赫兹开关,该开关采用覆盖单层石墨烯的十字金属谐振器超表面。利用石墨烯表面电导率模型和有限元法计算了这种复合结构的光谱特性。模拟结果表明,在0.2 W/mm²的光泵浦后,传输谱（调制深度为36.8%,Q-因子为250）出现了窄带共振衰减现象。另外,这种衰减的调制深度可以通过改变泵浦强度微调节。因此,光学可调谐太赫兹开关的设计将有助于太赫兹通信应用的功能组件开发。     

基于迈克耳逊干涉仪的空间调制型干涉成像光谱仪

试制了一台基于迈克耳逊干涉仪的空间调制型干涉成像光谱仪原理样机。样机将迈克耳逊干涉仪光路中的一面反射镜偏转一个小角度,使经两平面镜反射后的两束光波面之间产生一维连续的光程差,在图像传感器的像面上形成空间调制干涉条纹,构成空间调制型干涉成像光谱仪。一系列原理验证性实验表明:光谱仪原理正确可行,实验结果与理论相符,并且具有高通量,高信噪比,大视场和体积小,重量轻的优点。     

偏振光的杨氏干涉

在基础光学框架内,通过杨氏双孔干涉实验中线偏振光的干涉及线偏振光经过两任意厚度晶片的干涉等几个实例,说明了基于矢量波叠加概念的电磁干涉的基本思想、基本分析方法和基本现象.偏振光干涉时,观测平面上可以出现或不出现光强的周期性空间调制,但一般都产生光场偏振态的周期调制.它表明了光的矢量性对干涉的重要影响,并可揭示只分析强度条纹时被掩盖的一些物理效应.     

二维电子气等离激元太赫兹波器件

固态等离激元太赫兹波器件正成为微波毫米波电子器件技术和半导体激光器技术向太赫兹波段发展和融合的重要方向之一。本综述介绍AlGaN/GaN异质结高浓度和高迁移率二维电子气中的等离激元调控、激发及其在太赫兹波探测器、调制器和光源中应用的近期研究进展。通过光栅和太赫兹天线实现自由空间太赫兹波与二维电子气等离激元的耦合,通过太赫兹法布里-珀罗谐振腔进一步调制太赫兹波模式,增强太赫兹波与等离激元的耦合强度。在光栅-谐振腔耦合的二维电子气中验证了场效应栅控的等离激元色散关系,实现了等离激元模式与太赫兹波腔模强耦合产生的等离极化激元模式,演示了太赫兹波的调制和发射。在太赫兹天线耦合二维电子气中实现了等离激元共振与非共振的太赫兹波探测,建立了太赫兹场效应混频探测的物理模型,指导了室温高灵敏度自混频探测器的设计与优化。研究表明,基于非共振等离激元激发可发展形成室温高速高灵敏度的太赫兹探测器及其焦平面阵列技术。然而,固态等离激元的高损耗特性仍是制约基于等离激元共振的高效太赫兹光源和调制器的主要瓶颈。未来的研究重点将围绕高品质因子等离激元谐振腔的构筑,包括固态等离激元物理、等离激元谐振腔边界的调控、新型室温高迁移率二维电子材料的运用和高品质太赫兹谐振腔与等离激元器件的集成等。     

Experimental observation of energy modulation in electron beams passing through terahertz dielectric wakefield structures

We report the observation of a strong wakefield induced energy modulation in an energy-chirped electron bunch passing through a dielectric-lined waveguide. This modulation can be effectively converted into a spatial modulation forming microbunches with a periodicity of 0.5-1 ps and, hence, capable of driving coherent terahertz radiation. The experimental results agree well with theoretical predictions.     

Typesetting of terahertz waveforms

We demonstrate programmable generation of temporally shaped terahertz waveforms in LiNbO3 by spatially shaping the beam profile of femtosecond excitation laser pulses with a spatial light modulator. The generated terahertz waveforms have amplitudes that are approximately proportional to the first spatial derivative of the excitation beam profile.     

一种有效提高太赫兹时域光谱装置成像空间分辨率的方法

太赫兹波成像技术一个最显著的制约因素是其有限的空间分辨率。提出通过在样品前加小孔的方法来提高传统太赫兹时域光谱装置成像的空间分辨率。采用在样品前约2 mm处加直径为0.5 mm小孔的方法使成像的空间分辨率从1.276 mm提高到0.774 mm,提高0.502 mm,约39％。通过这个简单的方法在传统的太赫兹时域光谱成像装置上实现了空间分辨率从毫米量级到亚毫米量级的提高。聚乙烯板上直径为1 mm的小孔被作为成像的研究对象,分别采用传统的太赫兹时域光谱装置对样品进行直接成像和在样品前约2 mm处加直径为0.5 mm的小孔后对样品成像两种方式,并采用损失成像中信噪比较好的能量损失成像,对比两种方式得到的样品的太赫兹像,结果显示聚乙烯板上小孔的边界加小孔后成像比不加小孔直接成像明显清晰。证实了在样品前加小孔可以有效的提高太赫兹成像系统的空间分辨率。从理论上对通过在样品前加小孔提高系统空间分辨率的方法进行了分析,指出小孔尺寸越小,系统的空间相干长度越大,空间分辨率越高,但同时太赫兹信号的强度会相应减小。该方法可以简单有效的提高太赫兹时域光谱装置成像的空间分辨率,从而进一步拓展太赫兹谱成像技术的应用领域。     

Membrane device for holding biomolecule samples for terahertz spectroscopy

A device for holding biomolecule samples on a membrane allows scanning using terahertz frequency waves. Such scanning has previously been difficult due to the strong attenuation of terahertz frequency waves by water. Several types of biomolecules were scanned using terahertz time domain spectroscopy (TDS), and the data showed clear differences in transmittance among the samples. This membrane device is a promising aid for research on biomolecules using terahertz waves.     

Terahertz P-I-N Modulator

Theoretical and experimental research of silicon surface oriented integrated p-i-n-structures as quasi-optical modulators of terahertz frequency range have been done. The problem of double injection into i-region has been numerically solved. A possible role of nonlinearity in boundary conditions at injecting junctions is pointed out. Our simulations demonstrate that an effective modulation of terahertz wave beams by Si p-i-n-structures can be achieved up till the frequencies 2-2.5 THz. Measurements at 400 GHz confirm the results of simulations. The possibility of modulation of picosecond monopulses is also investigated. The investigation of modulator includes the analysis of the nonlinear losses, which are very important in sub millimeter waves. The field value of the nonlinear effects domination is obtained.