Interaction of terahertz electromagnetic radiation with a probe-object system in a terahertz apertureless near-field microscope

The mechanism of the interaction of coherent terahertz radiation with a probe-nanoobject system has been experimentally investigated in a terahertz apertureless near-field microscope. It has been found that the type of the material of a sample under the probe, as well as the geometry of the probe, determines the form of the dependence of the differential signal of the terahertz field on the distance between the probe and sample. The amplitude of the modulation of the probe height significantly affects the spectral composition of the differential terahertz signal, which is directly related to the amplitude and phase of a terahertz wave scattered by the probe-nanoobject system.     

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.     

Spectral shifts as a signature of the onset of diffusion of broadband terahertz pulses

We describe measurements of polarization dynamics as a probe of multiple scattering of photons in a random medium by use of single-cycle terahertz pulses. We measure the degree of polarization and correlate it directly with the single-scattering regime in the time domain. We also measure the evolution of the temporal phase of the radiation and show that the average spectral content depends on the state of polarization. In the case of broadband radiation, this effect can be used to distinguish photons that have been scattered a few times from those that are propagating diffusively.     

200mJ光泵浦氨气太赫兹激光器北大核心CSCD

利用光栅选支调谐的TEA CO2激光器作为泵浦源设计了高能量脉冲光泵浦太赫兹激光器。太赫兹激光谐振腔由2m长的石英玻璃管、GaAs泵浦光输入窗和SiO2太赫兹光输出窗组成,氨气充入谐振腔内作为增益介质。太赫兹激光的波长由自主设计的金属线栅F-P干涉仪测量。实验中在多个波长处都获得了强烈的太赫兹光输出,其中151.5μm太赫兹光的输出脉冲能量高达204mJ,对应的泵浦光能量为32J。最后,还给出了利用151.5μm太赫兹光进行透视成像的实验结果。     

Contactless photoconductive terahertz generation

We describe a pulsed terahertz (THz) emitter that uses a rapidly oscillating, high-voltage bias across electrodes insulated from a photoconductor. Because no carriers are injected from the electrodes, trap-enhanced electric fields do not form. The resulting uniform field allows excitation with a large laser spot, lowering the carrier density for a given pulse energy and increasing the efficiency of THz generation. Compared to a dc bias, less susceptibility to damage is observed.     

Generation of terahertz radiation in cubic non-centrosymmetric crystals

The conditions of parametric radiation generation on polaritons in cubic noncentrosymmetric crystals are studied. The possibility of such generation is theoretically justified. The polariton radiation frequencies are calculated for GaP, ZnSe, ZnTe, and GaAs crystals. The obtained generation frequencies are compared to the experimental results on Raman scattering on polaritons. The block diagram of the terahertz radiation generator operation using a GaP crystal and a pulsed laser with high peak power at low energy of laser pump pulses is presented. The lasing frequency shift is analyzed depending on the scattering geometry. The coefficient of exciting radiation conversion to the terahertz range is determined.     

Emission of terahertz radiation from GaAsN/GaAs heterostructures in an electric field

Emission of terahertz radiation from strained Be-doped GaAsN layers has been revealed at 4.2 K in postbreakdown electric fields. Heavy and light hole subbands are split in strained layers, and, along with localized acceptor states, resonant states arise. The spectrum of terahertz radiation has been obtained, the current-voltage characteristics of the samples were investigated, and the energy spectra of acceptors were calculated. Peaks in the spontaneous emission spectrum correlate well with the results of the energy spectrum calculations. The transitions between the resonant and localized states of the acceptors make the main contribution to the terahertz radiation intensity.     

Band gaps in the spectra of terahertz surface plasmons on metallic diffraction gratings

The effect of the appearance of band gaps in the energy spectra of terahertz surface plasmons has been experimentally observed and investigated. The band gaps are formed due to the interference interaction of the surface plasmons excited by pulsed terahertz radiation on metallic diffraction gratings. It has been shown that the experimental dispersion curves of terahertz plasmons are in good agreement with the dispersion curves obtained in the numerical simulation.     

On focusing of terahertz radiation beams and pulses

We show that, for terahertz (THz) radiation, the effective focal length of a lens differs significantly from its geometrical-optics (nominal) focal length. As a pulse of THz radiation with a bell-shaped (Gaussian) transverse profile is incident on a lens, the field-amplitude distribution in the nominally focal plane of the lens may radically change, up to the formation of dips in the paraxial region. These changes in the spatiotemporal shape of the beam (pulse) may considerably distort the results of pulsed THz spectroscopy. These distortions can be minimized by using media with anomalous dispersion, including metamaterials.     

Development of a rapid-scan fiber-integrated terahertz spectrometer

Scientists in terahertz (THz) wave technologies have benefited from the recent developments in ultrafast laser technologies and RF technologies and applied these new gained techniques into characterizing a wide variety of phenomena. Undoubtedly, the most successful of these applications has been in the development of time-domain terahertz spectroscopic and imaging systems which has been utilized in the characterization of dielectrics and semiconductors. This pulsed technique has allowed users to characterize dynamical behavior inside materials under illumination with picosecond resolution. Typically pump/probe or similar dynamical measurements require the use of amplified pulses derived from free-space solid state lasers in the $\upmu $ J–mJ range and since interferometric techniques are typically used in pulsed measurements the measurement time of a THz spectrum can last at least tens of minutes. Better systems can be realized based on fiber laser technologies. Here we discuss the advantages of a THz spectrometer driven by an ultrafast Ytterbium doped fiber laser whose repetition rate can be tuned rapidly allowing for rapid dynamical measurements. The efficient gain medium, robust operation and compact design of the system opens up the possibility of exploring rapid detection of various materials as well as studying dynamical behavior using the high brightness source.     

The excitation and emission of terahertz surface plasmon polaritons on metal wire waveguides

The development of effective techniques for guiding pulsed terahertz radiation is essential for the continued development of terahertz spectroscopy and imaging applications based on the technique of time-domain spectroscopy. Terahertz surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) can be excited and guided on cylindrical metal wires with low loss and dispersion. This propagating surface wave, known as a Sommerfeld wave, possesses radial polarization, which is not well matched with conventional sources of pulsed terahertz radiation. A photoconductive terahertz antenna with radial symmetry produces radiation that more efficiently couples to the wire waveguide. At the end of the wire, terahertz SPPs emit radiation into free-space that exhibits frequency-dependent diffraction. To cite this article: J.A. Deibel et al., C. R. Physique 9 (2008).     

Two-color laser wavelength effect on intense terahertz generation in air

Near-IR femtosecond lasers have been proposed to produce high-field terahertz radiation in the air via the laser-plasma interaction, but the physical mechanism still needs to be further explored. In this work, we theoretically investigate the effect of the two-color laser wavelength on the terahertz generation in the air based on a transient photocurrent model.We show that the long wavelength laser excitation can greatly enhance the terahertz amplitude for a given total laser intensity. Furthermore, we utilize a local current model to illustrate the enhancement mechanism. Our analysis shows that the terahertz amplitude is determined by the superposition of contributions from individual ionization events, and for the long wavelength laser excitation, the electron production concentrates in a few ionization events and acquires the larger drift velocities, which results in the stronger terahertz radiation generation. These results will be very helpful for understanding the terahertz generation process and optimizing the terahertz output.     

Plasma mechanisms of pulsed terahertz radiation generation

We present the results on generating terahertz radiation in the plasma of an optical discharge arising in the atmosphere during the focusing of femtosecond laser radiation. Different generation schemes related to focusing of the optical radiation by spherical and axicon lenses, with a constant electric field imposed on the laser spark region, as well as with the use of bichromatic laser radiation, are studied. Directivity patterns and polarization distributions of the terahertz radiation are analyzed in detail for different generation techniques. Comparison with the experimental results obtained by other research groups is given. Possible nonlinear mechanisms of the terahertz radiation generation are discussed.     

Stimulated terahertz emission from intraexcitonic transitions in Cu2O

We report the first observation of stimulated emission of terahertz radiation from internal transitions of excitons. The far-infrared electromagnetic response of Cu2O is monitored via broadband terahertz pulses after ultrafast resonant excitation of three-dimensional 3p excitons. Stimulated emission from the 3p to the energetically lower 2s bound level occurs at a photon energy of 6.6 meV, with a cross section of approximately 10(-14) cm2. Simultaneous excitation of both exciton levels, in turn, drives quantum beats, which lead to efficient terahertz emission sharply peaked at the difference frequency.     

Generation and detection of ultrashort pulses of electromagnetic field in the terahertz range and their application for spectroscopy

We present experimental results on generation of pulsed terahertz radiation in a ZnTe crystal using nonlinear optical rectification of high-power femtosecond laser pulses. The use of terahertz pulses for spectroscopy is tested in the rotational lines of absorption of water vapors in the atmosphere. Panoramic spectra of absorption of a number of solvents and protein solutions are measured in the range from 0.2 to 2 THz.     

On diagnostics of media using extremely short terahertz radiation pulses

The possibility of diagnosing the linear and nonlinear electrodynamic susceptibilities of media by examining the time profiles of extremely short terahertz radiation pulses (using pulsed terahertz spectroscopy methods) that are incident on a thin layer of a medium under study, are reflected from the layer, and are transmitted through it is shown theoretically. In the general case, the linear and nonlinear susceptibilities of different orders can be found by solving linear integral equations. Diagnostics is considerably simplified in the case of an isolated resonance of a medium with homogeneous spectral broadening, which is modeled by the response of an anharmonic oscillator.     

Tunable source of terahertz radiation based on the difference-frequency generation in a GaP crystal

A tunable source of terahertz (1–4 THz) radiation with a line width of 12 GHz is created on the basis of difference- frequency generation in a GaP crystal. Radiation of a pulsed Nd:YAG laser with a wavelength of 1064 nm and a tunable optical parametric oscillator is used as the pump. The radiation is generated in 10-ns-duration pulses with a pulse repetition rate of 10 Hz. The pulsed radiation power is about 15 mW.     

Generation of terahertz radiation during reflection of femtosecond laser pulses from a metal surface

The features of terahertz radiation generated upon oblique incidence of a femtosecond laser pulse on a metal surface are investigated theoretically. We propose a Cherenkov-type generation mechanism associated with excitation of low-frequency surface currents by a p-polarized optical field. The nonlinear surface currents and corresponding electrodynamic characteristics of low-frequency radiation are calculated analytically and by numerical simulation using the hydrodynamic model. The features of Cherenkov generation of terahertz radiation are analyzed, and techniques are proposed for increasing efficiency.     

An efficient cavity for optically pumped terahertz lasers

The efficiency of a simply designed cavity for optically pumped pulsed terahertz lasers is studied experimentally. A coated Ge and a crystal quartz act as the input and output windows, respectively. The thickness of the Ge window is designed according to etalon effects to maximize terahertz reflectivity. NH₃ is filled in the cavity as the active medium. When NH₃ is pumped by the 10P(32) line of a TEA CO₂ laser, intense 151.5 μm terahertz radiation is emitted. As high as 19.6 mJ terahertz radiation is extracted from 1.57 J pump energy. The corresponding photon conversion efficiency reaches 35.3%.     

连续太赫兹波双物距叠层定量相衬成像

针对连续太赫兹波叠层成像重建算法收敛较为迟滞的问题,提出一种连续太赫兹波双物距叠层成像方法及相关重建算法,使用不同记录距离形成的差异化衍射图幅值作为重建算法记录平面的约束条件,增加了记录平面数据多样性和衍射信息冗余度.仿真结果表明,本方法可以加快算法收敛速率,有效减少迭代次数,提高连续太赫兹波定量相衬成像计算效率.随后构建了基于2.52 THz光泵连续太赫兹激光器的双物距叠层成像实验装置,应用双物距记录方法及改进算法重建获得了聚丙烯基字母图案样品的幅值和相位分布,结果表明改进方法可以减少算法迭代次数,提升计算效率,同时改善相位像重建结果保真度.