Resonant Terahertz Generation by Optical Rectification of an Amplitude Modulated Surface Plasma Wave

Author

Bhasin, Lalita ; Tripathi, Vipin K.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Phys., Indian Inst. of Technol., Delhi, India

Volume

46

Issue

6

fYear

2010

fDate

6/1/2010 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

965

Lastpage

969

Abstract

An amplitude modulated surface plasma wave, produced via mode conversion of a laser, is shown to resonantly excite a surface plasma wave at the modulation frequency over a rippled metal free space interface. The pump surface plasma wave (SPW) exerts a ponderomotive force on metal electrons, imparting them an oscillatory velocity at the modulation frequency. This velocity beats with the surface modulation to produce a nonlinear current driving the surface plasma wave at the modulation frequency which may be chosen in the terahertz range. The presence of surface modulation is essential for effective coupling of surface plasma wave to terahertz wave.

Keywords

amplitude modulation; laser modes; optical modulation; optical pulse generation; amplitude modulated surface plasma wave; laser mode conversion; metal electrons; modulation frequency; optical rectification; oscillatory velocity; ponderomotive force; pump surface plasma wave; resonant terahertz generation; rippled metal free space interface; Amplitude modulation; Frequency modulation; Nonlinear optics; Optical modulation; Optical pumping; Optical surface waves; Plasma waves; Resonance; Surface emitting lasers; Surface waves; Amplitude modulation; ponderomotive force; surface plasma wave; terahertz waves;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9197

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/JQE.2010.2041898

Filename

5431076