Generation and detection of

THz radiation by air

by Yee Wei Kheoh

 a) Ponderomotive force in laser-induced plasma
generates THz waves.

b) ω0  focuses through BBO crystal to generate 2ω0.

THz pulse is attributed to four-wave-mixing(FWM)
and transient current inside the gas plasma.
 

c) Dichroic mirror(DM) is used to combine ω0

and 2ω0, and control their relative phase difference.

•In-line phase compensator can be used to control the relative delay (i.e.
similar to the conventional mechanical ‘optical delay line’ but has finer steps
in attosecond) of ω0 and 2ω0, and also their polarization to be the in the
same direction as shown in the diagram on the left.

•HWP is used to change the polarization of the 2ω0 beam.

•Dichroic mirror is used to split and combine ω0 and 2ω0

Jianming Dai, Jingle Liu, and X.-C. Zhang "Terahertz Wave Air photonics: Terahertz wave generation and detection with laser-induced gas plasma"   
 • Once the combined pulse energy of ω0 and
2ω0 beams exceeds the air ionization
threshold(~150µJ), the THz amplitude follows
the equation:
 

• Evidence that plasma generation is essential

for THz emission from the focal region.
To verify the phase dependence of maximal THz amplitude, one can change the relative
phase φ between the ω0 and  2ω0 waves by varying distance d between BBO crystal and
focus to produce a phase shift. 

Markus Kress, Torsten Löffler, Susanne Eden, Mark Thomson, and Hartmut G. Roskos, Opt. Lett. 29, 1120-1122 (2004)
 • The optimal efficiency of the THz field
generation is achieved when all the waves
(w, 2w, and THz waves) possess the same
polarization in the FWM process.

    x - p polarized
     y - s polarized

• Increasing directionality of the radiation

profile is correlated with increasing length
of the laser-induced plasma.

• Effective source for terahertz frequency

imaging and spectroscopy applications at
standoff distance.
• Focusing of
optical pulses ω0 and 2ω0 remotely at a
standoff distance of 17 meters and 116
meters to create plasma as the THz
emitter have been demonstrated.

• Attosecond phase compensator(PC)

is used to control the relative phase
between ω0 and 2ω0 to achieve
optimal THz emission efficiency.

• Utilizing the lower atmospheric

attenuation at the visible
range (<0.01dB/km) from air.

J. Dai and X.-C. Zhang,Appl. Phys. Lett. 94, 021117(2009)   

J. Dai and X. Zhang, "Demonstration of 17 Meter Standoff THz Wave Generation," 
 A Houard, Y Liu, B Prade, VT Tikhonchukb, Phys. Rev. Lett., vol.  100, pp.255006-1-255006-4, 2008

• Resolved time-domain
THz waveforms that
are generated at
different distances.

• Higher-power laser
can be used to further
extend standoff
distance(>100m) at
which THz wave can
be generated.

• Another way to generate THz wave at standoff

distance; based on Cherenkov-like radiation
from laser-induced plasma filaments.
• Two orders of magnitude lower than two-color
generated THz electric field.
J. Liu, J.Dai, S.L. Chin & X.-C. Zhang, Nature
Photonics 4, 627 - 631 (2010) 

THz Radiation-Enhanced-Emission-of-Fluorescence (THz-REEF)

• THz waveform information is encoded into a change of fluorescence emission at a

different time delay td.
• 'all-optical' technique of THz wave detection.
• Omni-directional fluorescence emission. Circumvent the limitation of forward
directional detection requirement.
 J. Liu, J.Dai, S.L. Chin & X.-C. Zhang, 
Nature Photonics 4, 627 - 631 (2010) 

THz Radiation-Enhanced-Emission-of-Fluorescence (THz-REEF)

•Relative phase, Δ Φω, 2ω, determines asymmetry or symmetry ionization. The latter produces relatively lower photocurrent than the first.

•Different relative phase produces different initial electron drift velocity.

•Upon interaction with incident THz pulses, electrons inside the gas plasma are accelerated and deaccelerated.

•Fluorescence emission occurs by electron-impact excitation of the ionized gas.

•Different REEF emission pattern is observed at different relative phase due to phase dependence of initial electron drift velocity.

•In b above, we can see that the blue(Δ Φω, 2ω= π/2) and red(Δ Φω, 2ω= -π/2) patterns are symmetrical with the black(Δ Φω, 2ω= 0).

•The differential of the blue and red patterns produces time-resolved THz wave which is in good agreement if it was measured with
EO sampling.
J. Dai, X. Xie, and X.-C. Zhang, Phys. Rev. Lett., vol. 97, pp. 103903-1-103903-4, 2006

• Parabolic mirror focuses the collimated

THz beam through laser ω-induced
plasma.

• Four-wave mixing of ω probe beam and

THz field produces 2ω signal.

• Coherent detection of the THz waves is

obtained when probe intensity
reaches above 3.3 X 1014 W/cm2.
• The third term of the equation below should
be dominant in order to have a coherent
detection.

, unipolar waveform; incoherent detection

, bipolar waveform; coherent detection

 •Introduces an ac external bias to
the optical focus to generate bias
field induced second harmonic
pulse, with field amplitude
denoted by 

     Advantage:
• Reduces probe pulse energy that was
previously required to breakdown air for
coherent THz detection. 

• Heterodyne detection of lock-in amplifier that is referenced to known LO

modulation frequency can increase signal-to-noise ratio.

N. Karpowicz, J. Dai, X. Lu, Y. Chen, M. Yamaguchi, H. Zhao, X.-C. Zhang, L. Zhang, C. Zhang, M. Price-Gallagher, and C. Fletcher, Coherent
heterodyne time-domian spectrometry covering the entire terahertz gap, Appl. Phys. Lett.  vol. 92, pp. 011131-1–011131-3, 2008
Overview
Jianming Dai, Xiaoyu Guo, and X.-C. Zhang,"Terahertz
Air Photonics for Standoff Explosive Detection"
Issues: 
• Bandwidth of semiconducting photoconductive dipole antennas is limited by carrier
lifetime and phonon absorption. And dispersion of electro-optic crystals in THz range
is problematic.
• Limitation by ambient moisture absorption in the THz range.

Conclusion:
• THz air photonics makes broadband standoff terahertz spectroscopy, imaging,
remote sensing and identification feasible.
• 'all-optical' technique of THz wave generation and detection circumvents
limitation of moisture ambient absorption in the THz range.
• THz wave generation with ultra-broad bandwidth: 0.3 - 35 THz; the useable
bandwidth of THz air photonics is laser pulse duration limited.
• Due to ultra-broad bandwidth, broad spectral information of a target material
can be obtained and reduces false alarm rates.