ABSTRACT
Using a nonlinear optical mixing known as a frequency up-conversion process, we demonstrate an optical cross-correlation technique for the detection and characterization of sub-nanosecond (sub-ns) terahertz (THz)-wave pulses. A monochromatic THz-wave pulse from an injection-seeded THz-wave parametric generator (is-TPG) was mixed with a near-infrared (NIR) pump pulse to generate a NIR idler pulse in a trapezoidal-prism-shaped MgO-doped lithium niobate crystal under the noncollinear phase-matching condition. By measuring pump-energy and crystal-length dependencies, we show that the frequency up-conversion of sub-ns THz-wave pulses with and without subsequent parametric amplification can be used for sensitive detection and intensity cross-correlation characterization, respectively. Using this cross-correlation technique, we reveal that the temporal profile of THz-wave pulses from the is-TPG driven by a 351-ps 1064-nm pump laser has slightly-frequency-dependent pulse width in the range of 150-190 ps at full width at half-maximum in the tunable range of 0.95-2.00 THz.
ABSTRACT
An injection-seeded terahertz (THz)-wave parametric generator (is-TPG) with a footprint the size of an A3 paper is presented. We improved the measurement performance of the is-TPG source for nondestructive inspection applications. A high pulse repetition rate up to 70 kHz and a low pulse timing jitter of a few tens of picoseconds, which is approximately one ten-thousandth of the conventional is-TPG, were achieved. THz waves exhibited excellent performance with a maximum average output power of 20 µW, a monochromatic spectrum linewidth of â¼20 GHz, and a frequency tuning range of 1.7-3.0 THz. This was achieved by designing the entire system configuration from the pump laser source to THz-wave generation. A new double-pass all-solid-state optical amplifier was developed with a high gain and low noise using an externally pulse-modulated laser diode (LD) as the master oscillator source. An achromatic optical injection system was developed for the is-TPG with a 40% reduction in the conventional path length. They were housed in a single enclosure in two layers. LDs and optical fiber amplifiers could be rack-mounted, and the outputs were delivered to the housing via optical fibers. The developed THz-wave source performed nondestructive imaging of a human hair sample fixed with Scotch tape on a test pattern in an envelope by irradiating 2.1 THz waves. A clearly recognizable THz-wave image of an enclosed hair with a spatial resolution close to the THz wavelength was obtained.
ABSTRACT
Full elements of second-order nonlinear optical (NLO) tensor can be completely characterized for an organic NLO crystal for the first time. As-grown bulk N-benzyl-2-methyl-4-nitroaniline (BNA) crystal was processed to expose (100) and (010) crystal orientations with fine optical surfaces by using precision lathe and diamond blade. Then, every five nonvanishing second-order NLO coefficient of BNA can be determined quantitatively using the precisely processed crystals based on 1st-kind Maker fringe measurements. Our method makes it possible to clarify uncertain NLO property of any organic materials and to accelerate application study via precise device fabrications even for fragile organic materials.
ABSTRACT
This Letter describes a novel metamaterial design by employing off-resonance and in-resonance excitation for a high-transmission terahertz-wave quarter-wave plate (QWP). The device is demonstrated with a thin film metamaterial with double-layer split ring resonators (SRRs). Different from a usual resonant metamaterial device, here we design the work frequency off from the inductor-capacitor (LC) resonance for the TE mode, while in a dipole resonance for the TM mode to obtain the artificial birefringence. Rectangular SRRs in this Letter provide a choice to optimize the off-resonance and in-resonance excitation, to assist the double-layer design for high transmission. Converting a linearly polarized wave to circular polarization with our QWP, the experiment confirms a transmittance of 0.8 and an ellipticity of 0.99 at 0.98 THz. The developed thin film device is flexible and has a thickness of 48 µm (sub-wavelength). This is an advantage for potential integration in systems where overall device compactness is required.
ABSTRACT
We performed the direct measurement of second harmonic generation and sum frequency generation phase-matching directions in the organic N-benzyl-2-methyl-4-nitroaniline crystal over its visible and near-infrared transparency range. The fit of these data allowed us to refine the Sellmeier equations of the three principal refractive indices in this range. With these equations, we improved the calculated tuning curves of terahertz emission from a phase-matched difference frequency process. We also determined the absolute magnitude of the d24 nonlinear coefficient.
ABSTRACT
Thin terahertz (THz)-wave optical components are fundamentally important for integrated THz-wave spectroscopy and imaging systems, especially for phase manipulation devices. As described herein, a thin THz-wave phase shifter was developed using a flexible film metamaterial with high transmission and polarization independent properties. The metamaterial unit structure employs double-layer un-split ring resonators (USRRs) with a designed distance between the two layers to obtain phase retardance of π/2, thus constituting a THz-wave phase shifter. The metamaterial design keeps the transmission coefficient as high as 0.91. The phase shifter also has polarization independence due to the four-fold symmetry of the USRR structure. Because of the subwavelength feature size of the USRR, this shifter can offer benefits for manipulating the spatial profile for the THz-wave phase through design of a binary optics phase plate by arranging a USRR array. The thickness of 48 µm has benefits for developing integrated THz optics and other applications that demand compactness and flexibility. The developed film size of 5 cm × 5 cm from the device fabrication process is suitable for THz lenses or gratings of large optical components.
ABSTRACT
Real-time terahertz (THz) wave imaging has wide applications in areas such as security, industry, biology, medicine, pharmacy, and the arts. This report describes real-time room-temperature THz imaging by nonlinear optical frequency up-conversion in an organic 4-dimethylamino-N'-methyl-4'-stilbazolium tosylate (DAST) crystal, with high resolution reaching the diffraction limit. THz-wave images were converted to the near infrared region and then captured using an InGaAs camera in a tandem imaging system. The resolution of the imaging system was analyzed. Diffraction and interference of THz wave were observed in the experiments. Videos are supplied to show the interference pattern variation that occurs with sample moving and tilting.
ABSTRACT
By using frequency upconversion detection of terahertz (THz) waves via 4-dimethylamino-N-methyl-4-stilbazolium tosylate (DAST) crystal with an optimized frequency conversion process, ultrahigh sensitivity has been achieved. Direct comparisons with a 4 K bolometer were implemented. By using a simple positive intrinsic negative (PIN) diode without either electrical amplification or optical amplification, frequency upconversion detection can compete with the commercial 4 K bolometer, while by replacing the PIN diode with an avalanche photo diode (APD), it performs more than three orders better than the 4 K bolometer. Based on power calibration, the minimum detectable THz pulse energy is in the order of 10 aJ (9-25 aJ) at 4.3 THz, with a pulse duration of 6 ns. Thus, the minimum number of THz photons that can be detected is down to the order of 10(3) at room temperature. The current THz detection system gives a noise equivalent power (NEP) in the order of 100 fW/Hz(1/2) (50-128 fW/Hz(1/2)). Moreover, by switching current optical detectors, the dynamic range is over six orders.
ABSTRACT
We developed a difference frequency generation (DFG) source with an organic nonlinear optical crystal of DAST or BNA selectively excited by a dual-wavelength ß-BaB(2)O(4) optical parametric oscillator (BBO-OPO). The dual-wavelength BBO-OPO can independently oscillate two lights with different wavelengths from 800 to 1800 nm in a cavity. THz-wave generation by using each organic crystal covers ultrawide range from 1 to 30 THz with inherent intensity dips by crystal absorption modes. The reduced outputs can be improved by switching over the crystals with adequately tuned pump wavelengths of the BBO-OPO.
ABSTRACT
For developing a continuous-wave (CW) tunable Terahertz-wave (THz-wave) source using difference-frequency generation (DFG) in highly nonlinear optical crystals, we proposed and demonstrated a dual-wavelength fiber ring laser system operating around 1060 nm based on wideband chirped fiber Bragg gratings (CFBGs) and semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA). Thermo-induced phase shift along the CFBG produces a very sharp transmission spike therefore two lasing wavelengths with single longitudinal mode operation are oscillating simultaneously within the fiber ring cavity. Due to the inhomogeneous gain broadening property of SOA, the wavelength spacing of our dual-wavelength fiber laser can be continuously adjusted from 0.3 to 9.5 nm. By using this single emitter dual-wavelength fiber laser to pump an organic nonlinear DAST crystal, type-0 collinear phase matching of DFG process can be fulfilled and monochromatic THz wave ranging from 0.5 to 2 THz has been successfully generated.
Subject(s)
Fiber Optic Technology/instrumentation , Lasers , Refractometry/instrumentation , Computer-Aided Design , Equipment Design , Equipment Failure Analysis , Terahertz RadiationABSTRACT
Water concentration and distribution in biotissues are important factors in many applications. THz-wave is a viable tool for water content measurement due to its highly sensitivity to water. In this study, the measuring errors of water concentration using THz-wave induced by transmittance and sample thickness were analyzed theoretically. The chosen basis for sample thickness and measuring THz frequency were presented theoretically. Measurements of the water two-dimensional mapping in different animal tissue samples were demonstrated experimentally, which clearly shows the spatial distribution of the tissues.
Subject(s)
Optical Phenomena , Optics and Photonics/methods , Organ Specificity , Water/analysis , Animals , Chickens , Sus scrofaABSTRACT
A tunable dual-wavelength double-pass singly resonant optical parametric oscillator based on a single KTP crystal has been proposed and demonstrated. By setting the rear mirror tuning angle precisely, collinear and noncollinear dual phase matching can be established simultaneously and leads to a two-wavelength oscillation at steady state. With high-speed KTP angle tuning, two wavelengths and their frequency difference can be adjusted continuously and accurately. By using this newly developed dual-wavelength optical parametric oscillator to pump a DAST crystal, a monochromatic terahertz wave ranging from 0.5 to 3 THz has been successfully generated in a difference-frequency generation system.
ABSTRACT
Millimeter-wave components were re-examined for high power (Mega-Watt) and steady-state (greater than one hour) operation. Some millimeter-wave components, including waveguide joints, vacuum pumping sections, power monitors, sliding waveguides, and injection windows, have been improved for high power CW (Continuous Waves) transmission. To improve transmission efficiency, information about the wave phase and mode content of high power millimeter-waves propagating in corrugated waveguides, which are difficult to measure directly, were obtained by a newly developed method based on retrieved phase information. To optimize the plasma heating efficiency, a proof-of-principle study of the injection polarization feedback control was performed in the low power test stand.
