Title :
Efficient optical-to-terahertz conversion of femtosecond laser pulses propagating along a sandwich structure with thin LiNbO3 core
Author :
Bodrov, S.B. ; Stepanov, Andrey N. ; Shishkin, Boris V. ; Ilyakov, Igor E. ; Akhemdzhanov, Rinat A. ; Bakunov, Michael I.
Author_Institution :
Inst. of Appl. Phys., Russian Acad. of Sci., Nizhny Novgorod
Abstract :
A new scheme for efficient optical-to-terahertz conversion of femtosecond laser pulses is experimentally demonstrated. In this scheme the laser pulse is cylindrically focused into thin LiNbO3 layer placed between the BK7 glass substrate and silicon prism. The pulse excites a moving nonlinear polarization in LiNbO3 that emits the Cherenkov cone of terahertz waves in the silicon prism. We measured the terahertz waveform and terahertz energy as a function of the optical pump energy. Up to 10-3 conversion efficiency has been observed for 50 mum thick LiNbO3 layer pumped with 100 muJ, 200 fs Ti:sapphire laser pulse.
Keywords :
Cherenkov radiation; high-speed optical techniques; light polarisation; lithium compounds; optical focusing; optical frequency conversion; optical materials; optical prisms; optical pumping; silicon; Al2O3:Ti; BK7 glass substrate; Cherenkov cone; Si-LiNbO3-SiO2; Ti:sapphire laser pulse; cylindrical focusing; energy 100 muJ; femtosecond laser pulses; nonlinear polarization; optical pump; optical-to-terahertz conversion; sandwich structure; silicon prism; size 50 mum; terahertz waveform; thin LiNbO3 core; time 200 fs; Glass; Laser excitation; Nonlinear optics; Optical polarization; Optical propagation; Optical pulses; Optical pumping; Sandwich structures; Silicon; Ultrafast optics;
Conference_Titel :
Infrared, Millimeter and Terahertz Waves, 2008. IRMMW-THz 2008. 33rd International Conference on
Conference_Location :
Pasadena, CA
Print_ISBN :
978-1-4244-2119-0
Electronic_ISBN :
978-1-4244-2120-6
DOI :
10.1109/ICIMW.2008.4665700
