Waveguide Emitters and Coherent Detectors for a Compact, Robust Terahertz Spectroscopy System

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Objective: We propose to develop novel waveguide-based emitters and detectors that allow for broadband THz operation over extended interaction lengths. This extended interaction is expected to allow for small form factor, low power ultrafast fiber lasers to replace current tabletop systems. The goal of the proposed research is to explore the use these waveguide devices to build a compact THz time-domain spectroscopy system. The proposed devices employ a single mode dielectric optical waveguide embedded within a single mode THz waveguide. Intellectual merits: We intend to explore a fundamentally new approach for achieving broadband operation of THz emitters and detectors with significantly increased conversion efficiency. While there is a reasonable body of knowledge regarding the use of free-space nonlinear optical processes for broadband THz applications, very little is known about the use of waveguides for such capabilities. We hope to be able to directly address this issue within this project. Broader impact: The primary impact is on the education of graduate student education, which will be fulfilled in two distinct, yet parallel, ways. First, graduate students will obtain significant hands-on experience during the course of this project. Second, the PI has developed two new graduate level courses in Ultrafast Optics and Nonlinear Optics. In addition, this project is expected to have significant impact on society through the development of fundamentally new technology, which we believe will be beneficial to a broad range of scientific communities.