Thz Wave Photonics

本研究的目的是对太赫兹（THz）波在气体中产生和检测的基础科学进行基础研究。该方法是使用环境空气和/或选定的气体作为太赫兹波发射器和传感器与飞秒激光激发。智力优势：主要的设计概念是基于最近的实验和理论研究脉冲太赫兹波发射和测量在空气中或选定的气体。聚焦光脉冲与100？在气体中，100 J脉冲能量和100飞秒脉冲持续时间产生大气等离子体，其在远场中产生非常强（200 kV/cm）和超宽带THz波（0.1至10 THz）。利用空气击穿相干探测（ABCD）方法或辐射增强荧光发射（REEF）方法，空气或空气等离子体也可以在本地或远程探测脉冲太赫兹波。更广泛的影响：太赫兹波的基础研究将在许多科学领域产生影响，超越其在天文学和激光聚变领域的历史用途。由此产生的技术应该在许多先进的光子实验室中得到应用。该研究有可能影响广泛的应用，包括无损检测，国土安全和生物医学应用。与HBCU，莫尔豪斯大学的本科生的研究项目将开始。

The objective of this research is to perform a fundamental study on the underlying science of terahertz (THz) wave generation and detection in gases. The approach is to use ambient air and/or selected gases as THz wave emitters and sensors with femtosecond laser excitation. Intellectual Merit: The principal design concept is based on recent experimental and theoretical research on pulsed THz-wave emission and measurements in air or selected gases. A focused optical pulse with 100 ?ÝJ pulse energy and 100 femtosecond pulse duration in gas creates an atmospheric plasma, which produces very intense (200 kV/cm) and ultra-broadband THz waves (0.1 to 10 THz) in the far field. Using the air-breakdown-coherent-detection (ABCD) method, or the radiation-enhanced-emission-of-fluorescence (REEF) method, air or air-plasma can also sense pulsed THz waves both in local or remote distance.Broader Impacts: The fundamental research of THz waves will have an impact in many scientific areas, beyond its historical uses in the astronomy and the laser fusion communities. The resulting technology should find use in many advanced photonic laboratories. The research has the potential to impact a wide range of applications including nondestructive testing, homeland security, and biomedical applications. Research projects with undergraduate students with an HBCU, Morehouse University, will be started.