Investigation of THz Sommnerfeld Wres for Cavity Applications

Single wires for surface-wave guiding are currently attracting strong attention as the best performing THz waveguide solution with lowest levels of attenuation and dispersion demonstrated so far. We experimentally investigate the frequency-dependent complex propagation characteristics in the range from 0.02 THz to 0.4 THz. The measured results agree well with our numerical field simulation and confirm the loss mechanisms given by the Sommerfeld theory as valid. We further investigate the application of Sommerfeld wires as guiding element in a compact linear cavity excited by a high-repetition rate femtosecond laser source.