基于Rydberg原子天线的太赫兹测量

Rydberg原子在微波和太赫兹频段具有极大的电偶极矩,利用量子干涉效应可实现对该频段电磁波场强的高灵敏探测,理论上灵敏度可达到远高于现有探测技术的水平.基于Rydberg原子量子效应的电磁场探测及精密测量技术在太赫兹的场强和功率计量、太赫兹通信和太赫兹成像等方面有着巨大的应用前景.本文回顾了基于Rydberg原子量子干涉效应实现电磁波电场自校准和可溯源测量的基本理论和实验技术,详细介绍了基于Rydberg原子的高灵敏太赫兹场强测量、太赫兹近场高速成像和太赫兹数字通信的基本原理和技术方案.最后简单介绍了本研究团队正在开展的基于Rydberg原子的太赫兹探测工作.     

太赫兹片上系统和基于微纳结构的太赫兹超宽谱源的研究进展

目前太赫兹辐射信号的功率不高,辐射带宽也较窄,这些对于生物化学、含能材料的太赫兹检测应用领域来说是一大限制因素,因此如何获得宽谱高功率的太赫兹源对于太赫兹时域光谱系统的发展是非常重要的;另一方面,常规的太赫兹系统是在自由空间传输探测的,测量过程需要在氮气或者干燥空气环境中进行,以克服空气中水的吸收干扰,同时自由空间中的光场与物质相互作用的模式又降低了物质检测的灵敏度,这对于痕量物质检测来说构成了挑战.面对这一问题,太赫兹片上系统利用微纳结构中的局域场效应实现对物质的低浓度检测,此方案有助于解决这一应用难题.综上所述,本文分成以下两部分阐述:首先阐述了纳米金属薄膜作为新的太赫兹源,它可以同时产生非相干的和相干的太赫兹信号,其输出为超过100 THz的太赫兹-红外辐射,功率高达10 mW,这种超宽谱和高功率现象主要是由于非相干的热辐射效应引起的;第二,阐述了基于不同传输线结构、不同基底材料的太赫兹片上系统结构设计和光谱应用.基于共面带状线结构和聚合物材料基底的太赫兹片上系统有着较低的损耗,能够实现超过2 THz带宽的测量和生物化学应用.     

量子阱在沿其平面方向偏振太赫兹波驱动下子带间光吸收

利用半导体布洛赫方程,讨论了量子阱在沿其平面方向偏振的太赫兹场驱动下的光学吸收谱。研究结果揭示了半导体量子阱在沿平面方向偏振的强太赫兹场驱动下吸收谱的一些新奇效应,如主吸收的太赫兹边带、动态弗兰兹-凯尔迪什效应。太赫兹场的频率及其相位对探测场吸收谱的影响也很显著。     

Influence of cutting off position of plasma filament formed by two-color femtosecond laser on terahertz generation

Femtosecond laser filamentation is a method of generating terahertz, which has wide application in terahertz subwavelength resolution imaging. In this paper, the plasma filament formed by femtosecond laser focusing was terminated with an alumina ceramics at different positions and the influence of the cutting off position of the plasma filament on the terahertz wave was studied. The results showed that the terahertz amplitude increases as the position approaches the end of the filament gradually. The stability of amplitude and peak frequency of the terahertz generated by the filament formed by two-color femtosecond laser via a lens with a longer focal length is lower than that through a lens with a shorter focal length, especially the terahertz amplitude at the end of the filament. The study will be helpful for future researchers in the field of THz sub-wavelength imaging utilizing femtosecond laser filament.     

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.     

基于经验模态分解提高太赫兹频率分辨率的方法

太赫兹频率分辨率是影响物质鉴别的重要因素,但是由于太赫兹时域光谱系统中存在器件反射,使得参考信号和测量信号出现多个反射峰,时域信号长度截断导致频率分辨率很低。为了去除反射峰的影响,提出基于经验模态分解去除时域反射峰,从而提高太赫兹频率分辨率的方法。通过与太赫兹主峰的互相关定位时域反射峰,计算反射峰的上下包络和求平均值,获取本征模函数并代替反射峰,增加时域信号有效长度,提高太赫兹频域分辨率。空气中水蒸汽的太赫兹透射谱实验结果表明,该方法具有自适应去除多个反射峰的能力,对太赫兹时域信号修复效果良好,频率分辨率提高了12倍,而且未丢失有用的吸收谱信息,吸收峰的位置和个数与真实谱一致,很好地保留了太赫兹谱的鉴别能力。     

Optically controlled terahertz beam steering and imaging

We propose a spatial modulator for terahertz waves based on light induced electron plasma in photo-active semiconductors. A two-dimensional array of computer controlled light is used to create free carries in bulk silicon, which results in a spatial modulation of the transmission at terahertz frequencies. This method not only exhibits a remarkable modulation depth over a broad frequency range but also allows for an optically controlled beam steering of terahertz waves by inducing virtual grating structures. In addition, we analyze the possibility of all-optically controlled terahertz imaging.     

太赫兹技术在医学检测和诊断中的应用研究

近年来太赫兹科学技术日益受到科学界和工业界的重视并得到了较大的发展,太赫兹技术在医学领域上的应用已成为人们关注的重要方面之一。介绍了太赫兹波的特点、太赫兹光谱和成像技术;重点讨论了近年来太赫兹光谱和成像技术在医学检测和诊断领域中的应用和研究进展;并探讨了太赫兹光谱和成像技术发展中需要解决的问题以及今后发展的方向。     

利用3D打印技术制备太赫兹器件

高性能的太赫兹器件在控制太赫兹波方面起到重要的作用,因此寻求一种简单有效的太赫兹器件加工方案非常必要。本文以太赫兹波导和太赫兹滤波器为例,分别选用Kagome型光子晶体结构的波导和一维光子晶体结构的滤波器,运用商用的3D打印机加工样品,并采用透射式太赫兹时域光谱系统对样品的参数进行测量。实验结果表明:加工的波导在0.2~1.0 THz范围内传输损耗平均值约为0.02 cm~(-1),最小值可达到0.002 cm~(-1),且可运用机械拼接的方式将多个波导进行简单的连接从而获得更长的波导而不引起严重的损耗;滤波器的透射谱在0.1~0.5 THz之间有两个明显高损耗带;这两组实验结果均与理论预计非常接近。本文运用太赫兹波导和滤波器的实例证实了3D打印技术加工太赫兹器件的可行性,将会成为获取性能可控、价格低廉的太赫兹器件的有效途径。     

Optical generation of terahertz plasmons on comb-shaped surface of metal

The possibilities of a recently proposed (Opt. Express 17, 9323 (2009)) method for generating terahertz surface plasmons on a microstructured (comb-shaped) metal surface using a nonlinear polarization pulse that moves with a superluminal velocity and is induced by an ultrashort laser pulse in a strip of electrooptic material deposited on the surface are theoretically studied. For an arbitrary direction of motion of the nonlinear source along the comb-shaped surface, fields of excited terahertz plasmons and the angular spectral distribution of the radiated energy are calculated. It is shown that the spectral and energy characteristics of plasmons can be efficiently controlled by varying the direction of motion of the source. Conditions (parameters of the comb-shaped structure, direction and velocity of motion of the source) that ensure the maximal efficiency of the optical-to-terahertz conversion are found. The developed method of terahertz generation is promising for surface terahertz spectroscopy.     

Comparative study of coherent terahertz emission from Fe/Pt ferromagnetic heterostructures

The ultrafast spin dynamic of in-plane magnetized Fe/Pt films was investigated by terahertz emission spectroscopy. The amplitude of the emitted terahertz wave is proportional to the intensity of the exciting laser beams.Both the amplitude and polarity of the terahertz wave can be adjusted by modifying the external magnetic field.The dependency of the amplitude on external magnetic fields is coincident to the hysteresis loops of the sample.Also, the polarity of the terahertz wave is reversed, as the magnetization orientation is reversed. The superdiffusive transient spin current with an inverse spin Hall effect is attributed to the main mechanism of the terahertz emission.     

How to realize an ultrafast electron diffraction experiment with a terahertz pump: A theoretical study

To integrate a terahertz pump into an ultrafast electron diffraction (UED) experiment has attracted much attention due to its potential to initiate and detect the structural dynamics both directly. However, the deflection of the electron probe by the electromagnetic field of the terahertz pump alters the incident angle of the electron probe on the sample, impeding it from recording structural information afterwards. In this article, we studied this issue by a theoretical simulation of the terahertz-induced deflection effect on the electron probe, and came up with several possible schemes to reduce such effect. As a result, a terahertz-pump-electron-probe UED experiment with a temporal resolution comparable to the terahertz period is realized. We also found that MeV UED was more suitable for such terahertz pump experiment.     

Ultrafast field dynamics in large-aperture photoconductors

We investigated field screening mechanisms in large-aperture GaAs photoconductors, using an ultrafast pump-probe terahertz technique. After photoexcitation the bias field decreases to an intensity-dependent value as a result of near-field screening of the bias field. For longer delays the field exhibits an intensity-dependent decrease that results from a space-charge field caused by transport-induced charge separation. These measurements support recent theoretical results that the dominant saturation mechanism that limits terahertz output from large-aperture photoconductors is near-field screening of the bias field because the space-charge field develops on a much longer time scale than that of the terahertz pulse.     

Optical rectification of highly focused near-IR pulses in the plasmon waveguide

Generation of terahertz pulses via mixing the Fourier harmonics of strongly focused near-IR pumping laser pulses in a plasmon waveguide filled with a nonlinear medium is considered. At a certain choice of its parameters, this waveguide provides efficient transverse confinement of the terahertz mode and a low dispersion of its refractive index. As a result, the system becomes capable of generating short fairly intense terahertz pulses. Such an approach significantly (by a factor of 50) decreases the pump power compared with that in the conventional (waveguide-free) schemes, which generate terahertz pulses from single pumping pulses (optical rectification), and still yields the same intensity of the output terahertz pulse and conversion efficiency. For the Ag-GaP-Ag structure taken as an example, optimal parameters of the plasmon waveguide and pumping pulse are found and characteristics of the output terahertz pulse are calculated.     

Investigation of copper sulfate pentahydrate dehydration by terahertz time-domain spectroscopy

Copper sulfate pentahydrate is investigated by terahertz time-domain spectroscopy. It is shown that the terahertz absorption coefficients are correlated with the particle size of the samples, as well as the heating rates of the ambient temperature. Furthermore, the water molecules of copper sulfate pentahydrate can be quantitatively characterized due to the high sensitivity of the terahertz wave to water molecules. Based on such results, the status of water incorporated in mineral opal is also characterized using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy. It indicates that terahertz technology can be considered as an efficient method to detect the dehydration of minerals.     

Experimental research on spectrum and imaging of continuous-wave terahertz radiation based on interferometry

A system for measuring terahertz spectrum is proposed based on optical interferometer theory, and is experimentally demonstrated by using a backward-wave oscillator as the terahertz source. A high-resolution, high-precision interferometer is constructed by using a pyroelectric detector and a chopper. The results show that the spectral resolution is better than 1 GHz and the relative error of frequency is less than 3%. The terahertz energy density distribution is calculated by an inverse Fourier transform and tested to verify the feasibility of the interferometric approach. Two kinds of carbon-fiber composites are imaged. The results confirm that the interferometer is useful for transmission imaging of materials with different thickness values.     

太赫兹技术在农产品检测中的应用研究进展

我国是农业大国,保障粮食安全是国家发展的战略需要。农产品检测技术的应用和发展对监控质量,预防由农产品品质问题引发的安全事故至关重要。太赫兹(Terahertz, THz)波位于电磁频谱空隙,频率高于微波而低于红外线,具备光子能量低、穿透性好、能表征分子结构等优点。基于太赫兹波的光谱检测技术受到研究人员广泛关注,在生物医学、安全检查等方面得到应用,被证明是一种可靠的检测手段。在农产品应用领域,太赫兹波特有的非接触、无标记检测能力为农产品成分分析、质量控制提供了技术手段,其良好的穿透性和无损害性,可以用来在不破坏农产品表面及外包装的前提下,检测内部成分变化。与其他光谱(超声、 X射线、红外等)检测手段相比,太赫兹波频率范围宽、表征能力强,可实现对目标物质的快速无损检测。近几年,随着太赫兹发射源、探测器等设备以及光谱和成像技术的发展,其在农产品领域的应用有了新的进展。通过收集整理近期的文献资料,综述了太赫兹技术在农产品检测方面的应用拓展和研究成果,总结了目前存在的应用局限。在此基础上,对未来太赫兹光谱和图像检测的研究方向进行了展望,提出提高检测灵敏度和检测速度是农产品领域太赫兹技术产业化应用...     

外差式相干探测时域光谱仪对磷化铟（InP）晶片的超宽频带太赫兹光谱的探测

磷化铟（InP）属于Ⅲ-Ⅴ族化合物半导体材料, 在毫米波的应用中展示出了高性能,在非线性太赫兹器件应用上具有很大的潜力。以前关于InP的研究主要集中于太赫兹频率在0.1～4 THz的频率范围内,在4～10 THz频率范围内InP的太赫兹光学数据还是空白。该研究利用空气等离子体相干探测太赫兹波的时域光谱系统研究了无掺杂的InP晶片在超宽THz频率范围（0.5～18 THz）内的光学特性, 实验中用电离的空气作为太赫兹的发射器和探测器, 利用可以调制的局部偏压诱导二次谐波产生,使在气体中太赫兹波的相干探测成为可能,明显提高了系统的动态范围和灵敏度。产生的太赫兹频谱宽度主要被激光脉冲持续时间所限制,太赫兹脉冲通过InP晶片后相对于参考脉冲会延迟,同时振幅会降低。另外,太赫兹信号的频谱振幅在6.7～12.1 THz范围内下降到本底噪声。同时还可以看出InP晶片在6.7～12.1 THz频率范围内不透光,在0.8～6.7 THz以及12.1～18 THz频率范围内InP的吸收系数相对较低,特别是在15～17.5 THz范围内吸收系数很低并且保持相对稳定,与此同时它的折射率单调增加。这些发现将有助于基于InP晶片的非线性太赫兹器件设计。     

Effect of an external electric field on the coherent terahertz emission from multiple filaments in air

We describe the terahertz emission from multiple filaments in air in the presence of an external electric field. A strong enhancement of the radiated terahertz energy is obtained by the combined effect of terahertz field interference and presence of a static electric field.     

Double-slit diffraction of terahertz wave generated by tilted-pulse-front pumping

We propose a spatial diffraction diagnostic method via inserting a millimeter-gap double slit into the collimated terahertz beam to monitor the minute variation of the terahertz beam in strong-field terahertz sources, which is difficult to be resolved in conventional terahertz imaging systems. To verify the method, we intentionally fabricate tiny variations of the terahertz beam through tuning the iris for the infrared pumping beam before the tilted-pulse-front pumping setups.The phenomena can be well explained by the theory based on the tilted-pulse-front technique and terahertz diffraction.