Single-cycle terahertz pulses with amplitudes exceeding 1 MV/cm generated by optical rectification in LiNbO3

Abstract

Using the tilted-pump-pulse-front scheme, we generate single-cycle terahertz ͑THz͒ pulses by optical rectification of femtosecond laser pulses in LiNbO 3 . In our THz generation setup, the condition that the image of the grating coincides with the tilted-optical-pulse front is fulfilled to obtain optimal THz beam characteristics and pump-to-THz conversion efficiency. By using an uncooled microbolometer-array THz camera, it is found that the THz beam leaving the output face of the LN crystal can be regarded as a collimated rather than point source. The designed focusing geometry enables tight focus of the collimated THz beam with a spot size close to the diffraction limit, and the maximum THz electric field of 1.2 MV/cm is obtained. © 2011 American Institute of Physics. ͓doi:10.1063/1.3560062͔Recent successful developments in efficient high-power terahertz ͑THz͒ pulse generation has created many promising applications such as in large-scale object imaging, medical diagnosis and treatment, and remote sensing techniques for security issues.1,2 In addition, intense THz pulses allow for study of unexplored nonlinear phenomena such as coherent THz manipulation of quantum states, 3,4 high-order harmonic generation, 5 nonlinear optical processes, and nonlinear transport phenomena in solids. [6][7][8][9][10][11][12] Since Hebling et al.13 ͑2002͒ proposed a tilted-pumppulse-front scheme for efficient phase-matched THz pulse generation using LiNbO 3 crystals, the technique has been rapidly developing. This technique has demonstrated the possibility of THz pulse generation with energies on the scale of 10 J by using an amplified Ti:sapphire laser with low repetition frequencies.14,15 To make the technique versatile for applications and useful for study of unexplored nonlinear phenomena, a generation setup to obtain optimal THz beam characteristics and a maximized THz peak field is required. A recent detailed analysis of the scheme predicted that the imaging errors in the setup consisting of a grating and lenses can lead to distortion in THz intensity profile after the LiNbO 3 output surface. 16 This distortion could create strong and ambiguous divergence in the THz beam, causing inaccuracy in optimal optis design for THz measurement, thereby limiting its applications.In this paper, we report the generation of single-cycle THz pulses using the tilted-pump-pulse-front scheme with a 1.3 mol % MgO-doped stoichiometric LiNbO 3 ͑LN͒ crystal. In the THz generation setup, the condition that the image of the grating coincides with the tilted-optical-pulse front is fulfilled to obtain optimal THz beam characteristics and pumpto-THz conversion efficiency. The propagation characteristics of the THz beam leaving the output face of the LN crystal were measured by an uncooled microbolometer-array THz camera. The results show that the THz beam had divergence of 52Ϯ 5 mrad in the horizontal direction for 1 THz.The designed focusing geometry for the collimated THz beam enables tight focus onto the electro-optic ͑EO͒ crystal with a spot size ...

Demonstration of a low-frequency three-dimensional terahertz bullet with extreme brightness

“…Although the former has been ahead in terms of intensity, the availability and versatility of lasers are dominating time-resolved THz high-field science. The most prominent techniques for intense THz pulse generation, by employing a femtosecond amplified laser pulse, are based on laser-driven ion acceleration 16 , emission from a gas plasma 17 and optical rectification in inorganic (for example, LiNbO 3 ) 18 and organic nonlinear crystals (for example, 2-(3-(4-hydroxystyryl)-5,5-dimethylcyclohex-2-enylidene)malononitrile) (OH1), 4-N,N-dimethylamino-4 0 -N 0 -methyl-stilbazolium tosylate (DAST), 4-N,N-dimethylamino-4 0 -N 0 -methyl-stilbazolium 2,4,6-trimethylbenzenesulfonate (DSTMS)) [19][20][21] . So far, the peak fields from these systems have been limited to 0.12-0.5 GV m À 1 .…”

Electric field ionization of gallium acceptors in germanium induced by single-cycle terahertz pulses

“…THz pulses were generated by optical rectification of femtosecond laser pulses in a LiNbO 3 crystal by using the tilted-pump-pulse-front scheme. [13][14][15] An amplified Ti:sapphire laser (repetition rate 1 kHz, central wavelength 780 nm, pulse duration 100 fs, and 4 mJ/pulse) was used for the light source. As shown in the inset of Fig.…”

Diffraction-Limited High-Power Single-Cycle Terahertz Pulse Generation in Prism-Cut LiNbO3for Precise Terahertz Applications

“…(1) (2) where m is the diffraction order, λ p is the pump wavelength, d is the grating groove number, is the group index of the pump pulse,   and   are the magnification factors of the lens for the pump wave front and the grating image, respectively, and   is the diffraction angle [16]. To optimize the efficiency of THz pulse generation, we chose two magnification factors (     ≈ ) and the diffraction angle (   °) by using the Eqs.…”

“…However, the large index dispersion and mismatch in LiNbO3 inhibit efficient phase matching in a collinear geometry. Since Hebling et al suggested a non-collinear phase matching in a prism-cut LiNbO3 using a tilted pulse-front pumping (TPFP) scheme and reported its proof-of-principle experiment for efficient THz pulse generation in 2003, many efforts have followed to improve both THz pulse energy and spectral bandwidth by utilizing different configurations and excitation sources [15][16][17]. As a result, it turned out that there was a tradeoff between the pump-to-THz conversion efficiency and the spectral bandwidth for THz pulse generation.…”