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.     

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.     

Optical-Electrical Characteristics and Carrier Dynamics of Semi-Insulation GaAs by Terahertz Spectroscopic Technique

GaAs has been widely used to fabricate a variety of optoelectronic devices by virtue of its superior performance,and it is very important to accurately measure its electrical and optical properties.In this study,a semiinsulation(SI) GaAs wafer is investigated by the terahertz(THz) non-destructive testing technology.Using an air biased coherent generation and detection THz time domain spectroscopy system,the THz time domain waveform and spectrum of SI-GaAs are obtained by the time domain spectroscopy module,and its opticalelectrical characteristics including complex refractive index,permittivity and dielectric loss angle are calculated.Its carrier lifetime is measured by the optical-pump THz-probe module,and the THz pulse induced intervalley scattering in photo-excited SI-GaAs is discussed.     

时间-频率联合分析消除太赫兹光谱干涉

基于Fourier变换的传统太赫兹时域光谱分析技术从不同长度的太赫兹信号中产生了不一致的光谱结果,增加太赫兹时域采样长度又会造成光谱的干涉,不利于太赫兹光谱测量的研究和应用。应用小波变换方法对太赫兹波谱作时间—频率联合分析,将不同时刻的太赫兹波谱展开到二维的时间-频率平面,消除了光谱分析的不一致性和光谱干涉的影响。     

Monte Carlo Simulation of THz-Pulse Generation from Bulk GaAs Surface

An ensemble Monte Carlo simulation method has been used to study THz-pulse generation from semiconductor GaAs surface excited by a femtosecond laser pulse and biased in high electrical field near 100kV/cm. Electron transport is simulated using the three-valley conduction band model and taking into account acoustic, optical (polar and nonpolar) and intervalley phonon scattering mechanisms. Our simulations show that the THz temporal waveforms have a close relationship with the biased external field and the THz radiation is saturated with the increase of the biased field, these findings have not been exploited by the existing theoretical analyses. Power spectra show that the higher biased electrical field benefits the frequency extension for the THz radiation.     

单发太赫兹时域光谱技术

太赫兹时域光谱技术(THz-TDS)广泛应用于材料、生物医学、化学、药学、安检等诸多领域。传统扫描式THz-TDS技术需要通过改变探测光延时逐点扫描并重构时域信号,仅适合于具有较高重复频率且稳定的太赫兹辐射源情形下的样品探测。在低重复频率或涨落较大的太赫兹辐射源情形下和不可逆过程中样品的探测,扫描式THz-TDS不再适用,需要使用单发THz-TDS技术,单发THz-TDS技术原则上仅需要一个激光脉冲就可以获取一个完整的太赫兹时域脉冲波形。介绍几种主要的单发THz-TDS探测技术,这些技术都利用了电光晶体的泡克尔斯效应,通过测量探测光的某个物理量的变化来提取太赫兹信号。根据探测方法不同可分为光谱编码、空间编码和互相关等技术。在光谱编码技术中,探测光不同频率成分在时间上发生分离,不同时间成分分别被太赫兹脉冲不同时刻电场调制,通过测量探测光各个频率被太赫兹脉冲调制前后的光谱的变化提取太赫兹脉冲波形。该方法光路简单,测量结果直观,有较高的信噪比,但其时间分辨率较低,且被测太赫兹信号容易产生失真。为提高被测信号的时间分辨率,有人提出了空间编码技术,即不同位置探测光分别被太赫兹脉冲不同时刻电场调制,通过测量探测光各个位置太赫兹脉冲调制前后的光强变化提取太赫兹脉冲波形。根据不同空间展开方法可分为一维空间编码技术和二维空间编码技术。空间编码技术中虽然有较高的时间分辨率,但由于探测光在空间展开能量分散使得其信噪比相对较低。此外,还有一种较高时间分辨率的技术即互相关技术,可分为共线互相关和非共线互相关技术。在非共线互相关技术中,被太赫兹脉冲调制的激光啁啾脉冲与短脉冲互相关作用产生二次谐波,通过太赫兹脉冲调制前后二次谐波空间分布变化来提取太赫兹信号;在共线互相关技术中被太赫兹脉冲调制的啁啾脉冲与短脉冲共线入射到光谱仪,通过干涉条纹提取太赫兹信号,该技术提高了时间分辨率和信噪比,但光路布置复杂,不能进行实时监测。回顾了这几种单发THz-TDS探测技术的发展历程,综述探测技术的原理、实验方案和测量结果,并讨论了这些探测技术的优势和不足。     

Laser-induced photoacoustics influenced by single-cycle terahertz radiation

Laser-induced plasma acoustic waves are enhanced under the illumination of single-cycle terahertz (THz) radiation, making THz-enhanced acoustics (TEA) a useful method for THz wave detection. During a single-cycle THz pulse with its peak field of 100 kV/cm, a pressure enhancement of 10% is observed throughout the acoustic spectrum up to 140 kHz, and the TEA signal is found to increase linearly with THz wave intensity. By using dual-color laser excitation to manipulate free electron drift, it is possible to modulate the enhanced acoustic signal and recover a coherent THz time-domain waveform by simply "listening" to the plasma.     

Coupled THz Waveguide Utilizing Surface Plasmon Polaritons on Thin Dielectric Slab Sandwiched between Two Corrugated Metallic Claddings

We present a comprehensive experimental study of terahertz （THz） wave propagation utilizing surface plasmon polaritons （SPPs） on the interfaces of a thin dielectric core layer sandwiched between two corrugated metallic claddings. THz wave impinges on the structured surfaces at normal incidence. Long-lasting oscillation propagation features are observed in the temporal waveform after traveling through the periodic arrays. The enhanced THz transmission can be achieved due to the coupling between incident waves to SPPs at the bottom and top interfaces. The finite element method is used to simulate the field distribution and the transmission mode in the waveguide. The hybrid waveguide with low absorption has great potential applications in THz integrated devices.     

"All air-plasma" terahertz spectroscopy

We demonstrate terahertz wave generation and detection capabilities up to 6 THz without the need for solid state materials, biased electrodes, or forward propagating signal collection. An "all air-plasma" terahertz system is used to encode explosive material resonant signatures into the 357 nm nitrogen fluorescence line of a bichromatic field-induced laser plasma filament. These results show the practicability to extend these measurements to remote locations where terahertz pulse information is no longer limited by water vapor absorption, phonon resonance, or signal collection directionality.     

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.     

THz-TDS测试中时域脉冲的本质段及其截取模型

利用太赫兹时域谱仪THz-TDS测试样品并计算太赫兹吸收谱的形态和幅度,是太赫兹定性、定量分析的主要途径。在实验中我们发现,谱的形态和幅度不仅与样品吸收特性有关, 而且与计算中所选取的太赫兹时域脉冲的长度密切相关。太赫兹波在片状样品前后表面的多次反射波是造成这个问题的主要原因。太赫兹时域脉冲分为直接载有样品信息的本质段、低信噪比的噪声段和信息重叠的回波段。通过分析太赫兹脉冲的产生机理及脉冲幅度与衰减过程的关系,给出一个半理论半经验的本质段长度截取模型,由此确定进一步计算太赫兹吸收谱的最佳长度。谷氨酰胺(Gln)、组氨酸(His)和胱氨酸(Cys)三种氨基酸样品的实验表明, 该文截点位置截取方法的计算结果是稳定有效的。     

Towards time-resolved THz imaging

We describe a setup that allows for the measurement of high-quality images at frequencies in the far-infrared (THz) regime of the spectrum. By using water-cooled THz emitters that are biased with a 50-kHz, ±400-V square wave, rapid delay scanning, and differential lock-in detection at 50 kHz, we attain shot-noise-limited detection of THz transients. As a result, THz transients with a large dynamic range of 5000 can be measured in 20 ms. We show that the THz imaging setup enables the time-resolved detection of the diffusion of gases. PACS 07.57.-c; 42.30.-d; 95.85.Gn; 36.20.Ng     

Intense Cherenkov-type terahertz electromagnetic radiation from ultrafast laser-plasma interaction

A Cherenkov-type terahertz electromagnetic radiation is revealed, which results efficiently from the collective effects in the time-domain of ultrafast pulsed electron current produced by ultrafast intense laser--plasma interaction. The emitted pulse waveform and spectrum, and the dependence of laser pulse parameters on the structure of the radiation field are investigated numerically. The condition of THz radiation generation in this regime and Cherenkov geometry of the radiation field are studied analytically.     

Hilbert-Huang变换分析THz脉冲信号的时频特性

提出一种基于Hilbert-Huang变换的THz时域光谱分析方法,将THz时域脉冲信号分解成有限数目的单分量信号之和,利用Hilbert变换求得瞬时频率来获得幅值的时频分布——Hilbert-Huang变换谱,实现了通过水蒸气的THz脉冲信号的时频分析,揭示了THz波与水蒸气相互作用的频谱时域分布特性,并与基于小波变换的时频图进行了对比分析。结果表明,该方法可以同时提高THz脉冲时频分布的时间分辨率和频率分辨率,具有局部化分析和自适应选择的特点,还能直观地表现出各频率成分之间的相对时间延迟。     

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.     

Dynamic optical arbitrary waveform generation and detection in InP photonic integrated circuits for Tb/s optical communications

This article presents recent results in the development of optical arbitrary waveform generation (OAWG) technologies based on optical frequency combs and indium phosphide devices. A novel spectral-slice dynamic-OAWG approach and waveform shapers with customized spectral multiplexers and modulators, enable continuous generation of high fidelity optical waveforms accessing bandwidths in excess of 1 THz. We show results for two types integrated waveform shapers, a 100 GHz electrically controlled device with 10 channels spaced at 10 GHz and a 1 THz optically controlled device with 100 channels spaced at 10 GHz. Additionally, we include results from a 640 GHz waveform measurement device with 16 channels and 40 GHz spacing.     

圆偏振激光脉冲附加静电场或太赫兹场时H2+高次谐波产生

本文通过数值求解二维含时薛定谔方程理论的研究了圆偏振激光脉冲(circularly polarized laser pulse, CPLP)作用下H2+的高次谐波产生(high-order harmonic generation, HHG)。通过对比CPLP附加静电场和CPLP附加太赫兹场(terahertz, THz)时的高次谐波发射谱发现,当在CPLP的方向附加静电场时,谐波谱出现双平台结构,且布满调制,通过电子波包概率分布图像发现,电子三次与母核复合,量子轨道之间产生了较严重的干涉。当附加相同强度的THz场时,电子仅两次与母核复合,量子轨道之间的干涉减少,最终得到了86eV到208eV带宽为122eV的连续谱,相比于附加静电场,谐波谱变得连续且平滑,实现了量子轨道调控。最后,利用半经典三步模型、时频分析和电离几率等对谐波发射物理机制进行了深入研究。     

大孔径光电导天线产生高功率窄带宽THz辐射特性分析

从大孔径光电导天线产生THz辐射的饱和理论出发,考虑了载流子的瞬变迁移率.分析了脉冲序列激发大孔径光电导天线产生高功率窄带宽THz辐射的特性.对比了单个光脉冲和序列光脉冲激发SI-GaAs和LT-GaAs光电导天线的饱和特性.分析表明,采用序列光脉冲激发载流子寿命小于光脉冲间隔的光电导天线时,可以克服大孔径光电导天线的饱和特性,产生高峰值功率的窄带THz辐射.     

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.     

Two phase effects in roughness perception.

The respective influences of spectral and temporal aspects of sound in roughness perception are examined by way of phase manipulations. In a first experiment, the phase of the central component of three-component signals is shown to modify perceived roughness, for a given amplitude spectrum, regardless of whether it modifies the waveform envelope. A second experiment shows that the shape of the waveform envelope, for a given amplitude spectrum and a given modulation depth, also influences perceived roughness. We interpret both of these results by considering the envelope of an internal representation that is deduced from the physical signal by taking into account peripheral auditory processing. The results indicate that the modulation depth of such an internal representation is not the only determinant of roughness, but that an effect of temporal asymmetry is also to be taken into account.