Spatiotemporal focusing dynamics of intense supercontinuum THz pulses

Optical generation of strong-field terahertz radiation and its application in nonlinear terahertz metasurfaces

Extremely nonlinear terahertz (THz)-matter interactions and applications have positioned themselves as the next frontier in quantum information, nonlinear optics, and particle acceleration. However, the absence of free-space highly intense THz sources and the diffraction limit, which prevents THz waves from being concentrated to the nanoscale scale, are inhibiting the growth of extreme THz. To address this difficulty, suitably extremely concentrated THz sources are being produced, while (non-)resonant artificial metastructures are being widely used to enhance local fields, resulting in deep-subwavelength (<λ/103) confinement of highly enhanced THz fields in micro-/nano-gaps. We discuss solid-state stable sources of intense THz radiation generated by femtosecond lasers in this Review, with a special emphasis on the lithium niobate-based tilted pulse front approach and the nonlinear THz metasurfaces allowed by it. Finally, we forecast the field's future directions in extreme THz research.

Wavelength conversion through plasmon-coupled surface states

Surface states generally degrade semiconductor device performance by raising the charge injection barrier height, introducing localized trap states, inducing surface leakage current, and altering the electric potential. We show that the giant built-in electric field created by the surface states can be harnessed to enable passive wavelength conversion without utilizing any nonlinear optical phenomena. Photo-excited surface plasmons are coupled to the surface states to generate an electron gas, which is routed to a nanoantenna array through the giant electric field created by the surface states. The induced current on the nanoantennas, which contains mixing product of different optical frequency components, generates radiation at the beat frequencies of the incident photons. We utilize the functionalities of plasmon-coupled surface states to demonstrate passive wavelength conversion of nanojoule optical pulses at a 1550 nm center wavelength to terahertz regime with efficiencies that exceed nonlinear optical methods by 4-orders of magnitude.

Semiconductor surface states often stand in the way of device performance, but here, the authors take advantage of them for wavelength conversion. They present a compact, passive conversion device insensitive to optical alignment by using plasmon-coupled surface states that enable the efficient conversion without nonlinear phenomena.

Limitation of THz conversion efficiency in DSTMS pumped by intense femtosecond pulses

Terahertz (THz) generation via optical rectification (OR) of near-infrared femtosecond pulses in DSTMS is systematically studied using a quasi-3D theoretical model, which takes into account cascaded OR, three-photon absorption (3PA) of the near-infrared radiation, and material dispersion/absorption properties. The simulation results and the comparison with experimental data for pump pulses with the center wavelength of 1.4 µm indicate that the 3PA process is one of the main limiting factors for THz generation in DSTMS at high pump fluences. The THz conversion efficiency is reduced further by the enhanced group velocity dispersion effect caused by the spectral broadening due to the cascaded OR. We predict that for broadband pump pulses with a duration of 30 fs, the THz conversion efficiency can be enhanced by a factor of 1.5 by using a positive pre-chirping that partially suppresses the cascaded OR and the 3PA effects.

Experimental station Bernina at SwissFEL: condensed matter physics on femtosecond time scales investigated by X-ray diffraction and spectroscopic methods

The Bernina instrument at the SwissFEL Aramis hard X-ray free-electron laser is designed for studying ultrafast phenomena in condensed matter and material science. Ultrashort pulses from an optical laser system covering a large wavelength range can be used to generate specific non-equilibrium states, whose subsequent temporal evolution can be probed by selective X-ray scattering techniques in the range 2-12 keV. For that purpose, the X-ray beamline is equipped with optical elements which tailor the X-ray beam size and energy, as well as with pulse-to-pulse diagnostics that monitor the X-ray pulse intensity, position, as well as its spectral and temporal properties. The experiments can be performed using multiple interchangeable endstations differing in specialization, diffractometer and X-ray analyser configuration and load capacity for specialized sample environment. After testing the instrument in a series of pilot experiments in 2018, regular user operation begins in 2019.

Distinguishing Nonlinear Terahertz Excitation Pathways with Two-Dimensional Spectroscopy

High-field terahertz (THz) spectroscopy is enabling the ultrafast study and control of matter in new and exciting ways. However, when intense electromagnetic pulses are used in any kind of pump-probe spectroscopy, several nonlinear excitation pathways can result, leading to scenarios that required the development of multidimensional spectroscopies to illuminate the observed dynamics. Here we demonstrate a clear example where two-dimensional (2D) THz vibrational spectroscopy is needed to distinguish between nonlinear-excitation pathways in CdWO_{4}. We nonlinearly excite a set of Raman-active vibrational modes in CdWO_{4} with broadband THz pulses, and 2D spectroscopy allows us to determine the dominant excitation pathway. We provide a general framework for 2D THz and multi-THz nonlinear phonon spectroscopy in solid systems, which has important implications in contributing needed clarity to the nascent field of nonlinear phononics.

Growth, electrical and optical studies, and terahertz wave generation of organic NLO crystals: DSTMS

The raw material of 4-N,N-dimethylamino-4′-N′-methyl-stilbazolium 2,4,6-trimethylbenzenesulfonate (DSTMS) is synthesized by a condensation method under the catalysis of piperidine.

Generation of largely elliptically polarized terahertz radiation from laser-induced plasma

A novel all-optical control scheme is proposed to continuously tune the THz radiation polarization, where the driving laser is based on a three-pulse configuration with adjustable time delays or intensity ratio. With this scheme, not only is the circularly polarized THz radiation realized, the continuous tuning from circular polarization to linear polarization can also be obtained conveniently just by adjusting time delays or intensity ratio. Moreover, the left or the right chirality of THz radiation can be transformed between each other with suitable time delays.

Perspective: Opportunities for ultrafast science at SwissFEL

We present the main specifications of the newly constructed Swiss Free Electron Laser, SwissFEL, and explore its potential impact on ultrafast science. In light of recent achievements at current X-ray free electron lasers, we discuss the potential territory for new scientific breakthroughs offered by SwissFEL in Chemistry, Biology, and Materials Science, as well as nonlinear X-ray science.

Short pulse laser beam beyond paraxial approximation

Nonparaxial perturbative equations are derived from the scalar wave equation by taking into account spatiotemporal couplings. General solutions are obtained in Fourier space and further transformed back in direct space. They depend on parameters that can be used to match various boundary conditions and the perturbative expansion of any nonparaxial exact solutions. This parametrization is used to study the sensitivity of direct electron acceleration off an ultrashort tightly focused laser pulse to nonparaxial corrections of radially polarized electromagnetic fields.

Subcycle Extreme Nonlinearities in GaP Induced by an Ultrastrong Terahertz Field

We report on the experimental observation of extreme laser spectral broadening and a change in optical transmission in gallium phosphite induced by 25  MV/cm terahertz (THz) single-cycle internal field. Such intense THz radiation leads to twofold transient modifications of the optical properties in the electro-optical crystal. First, the electric field provokes extensive cross-phase modulation via the χ^{(2)} and χ^{(3)} nonlinearities on a copropagating 50 fs near infrared laser pulse which turns into 500% spectral broadening. Second, we observe an instantaneous change of the optical transmission occurring at the THz field which is alleged to interband Zener tunneling and charge carrier density modification by impact ionization turning the semiconductor in a metal-like transient state. The presented scheme displays a pathway to coherently control the optical properties of semiconductors on an ultrafast time scale by a strong THz field.

The SwissFEL Experimental Laser facility

The hard X-ray laser SwissFEL at the Paul Scherrer Institute is currently being commissioned and will soon become available for users. In the current article the laser facility is presented, an integral part of the user facility, as most time-resolved experiments will require a versatile optical laser infrastructure and precise information about the relative delay between the X-ray and optical pulse. The important key parameters are a high availability and long-term stability while providing advanced laser performance in the wavelength range from ultraviolet to terahertz. The concept of integrating a Ti:sapphire laser amplifier system with subsequent frequency conversion stages and drift compensation into the SwissFEL facility environment for successful 24 h/7 d user operation is described.

Short X-ray pulses from third-generation light sources

High-brightness X-ray radiation produced by third-generation synchrotron light sources (TGLS) has been used for numerous time-resolved investigations in many different scientific fields. The typical time duration of X-ray pulses delivered by these large-scale machines is about 50-100 ps. A growing number of time-resolved studies would benefit from X-ray pulses with two or three orders of magnitude shorter duration. Here, techniques explored in the past for shorter X-ray pulse emission at TGLS are reviewed and the perspective towards the realisation of picosecond and sub-picosecond X-ray pulses are discussed.

Intense, carrier frequency and bandwidth tunable quasi single-cycle pulses from an organic emitter covering the Terahertz frequency gap

In Terahertz (THz) science, one of the long-standing challenges has been the formation of spectrally dense, single-cycle pulses with tunable duration and spectrum across the frequency range of 0.1–15 THz (THz gap). This frequency band, lying between the electronically and optically accessible spectra hosts important molecular fingerprints and collective modes which cannot be fully controlled by present strong-field THz sources. We present a method that provides powerful single-cycle THz pulses in the THz gap with a stable absolute phase whose duration can be continuously selected between 68 fs and 1100 fs. The loss-free and chirp-free technique is based on optical rectification of a wavelength-tunable pump pulse in the organic emitter HMQ-TMS that allows for tuning of the spectral bandwidth from 1 to more than 7 octaves over the entire THz gap. The presented source tunability of the temporal carrier frequency and spectrum expands the scope of spectrally dense THz sources to time-resolved nonlinear THz spectroscopy in the entire THz gap. This opens new opportunities towards ultrafast coherent control over matter and light.

Ultra-broadband terahertz pulses generated in the organic crystal DSTMS

Electric-field transients covering the extremely wide frequency range from 0.5 to 26 THz are generated in the organic nonlinear crystal 4-N,N-dimethylamino-4'-N'-methylstilbazolium 2,4,6-trimethylbenzenesulfonate (DSTMS). Parametric difference frequency mixing within the spectrum of 25-fs amplified pulses centered at 800 nm provides a highly stable broadband output with an electric-field amplitude of up to several hundred kilovolts/cm. The high stability of the terahertz pulse parameters allows for sensitive phase-resolved broadband spectroscopy of optically thick crystalline samples.

High efficiency THz generation in DSTMS, DAST and OH1 pumped by Cr:forsterite laser

We investigated Terahertz generation in organic crystals DSTMS, DAST and OH1 directly pumped by a Cr:forsterite laser at central wavelength of 1.25 μm. This pump laser technology provides a laser-to-THz energy conversion efficiency higher than 3 percent. Phase-matching is demonstrated over a broad 0.1-8 THz frequency range. In our simple setup we achieved hundred μJ pulses in tight focus resulting in electric and magnetic field larger than 10 MV/cm and 3 Tesla.

Demonstration of a low-frequency three-dimensional terahertz bullet with extreme brightness

The brightness of a light source defines its applicability to nonlinear phenomena in science. Bright low-frequency terahertz (<5 THz) radiation confined to a diffraction-limited spot size is a present hurdle because of the broad bandwidth and long wavelengths associated with terahertz (THz) pulses and because of the lack of THz wavefront correctors. Here using a present-technology system, we employ a wavefront manipulation concept with focusing optimization leading to spatio-temporal confinement of THz energy at its physical limits to the least possible three-dimensional light bullet volume of wavelength-cubic. Our scheme relies on finding the optimum settings of pump wavefront curvature and post generation beam divergence. This leads to a regime of extremely bright PW m(-2) level THz radiation with peak fields up to 8.3 GV m(-1) and 27.7 T surpassing by far any other system. The presented results are foreseen to have a great impact on nonlinear THz applications in different science disciplines.

Generation of 0.9-mJ THz pulses in DSTMS pumped by a Cr:Mg₂SiO₄ laser

We report on high-field terahertz transients with 0.9-mJ pulse energy produced in a 400  mm² partitioned organic crystal by optical rectification of a 30-mJ laser pulse centered at 1.25 μm wavelength. The phase-locked single-cycle terahertz pulses cover the hard-to-access low-frequency range between 0.1 and 5 THz and carry peak fields of more than 42 MV/cm and 14 Tesla with the potential to reach over 80 MV/cm by choosing appropriate focusing optics. The scheme based on a Cr:Mg₂SiO₄ laser offers a high conversion efficiency of 3% using uncooled organic crystal. The collimated pump laser configuration provides excellent terahertz focusing conditions.

Tailoring single-cycle electromagnetic pulses in the 2-9 THz frequency range using DAST/SiO₂ multilayer structures pumped at Ti:sapphire wavelength

We present a numerical parametric study of single-cycle electromagnetic pulse generation in a DAST/SiO₂multilayer structure via collinear optical rectification of 800 nm femtosecond laser pulses. It is shown that modifications of the thicknesses of the DAST and SiO₂layers allow tuning of the average frequency of the generated THz pulses in the frequency range from 3 to 6 THz. The laser-to-THz energy conversion efficiency in the proposed structures is compared with that in a bulk DAST crystal and a quasi-phase-matching periodically poled DAST crystal and shows significant enhancement.

Intense sub-two-cycle infrared pulse generation via phase-mismatched cascaded nonlinear interaction in DAST crystal

Octave-spanning, 12.5 fs, (1.9 cycle) pulses with 115 μJ energy in the short-wavelength mid-infrared spectral range (1-2.5 μm) have been generated via phase-mismatched cascaded nonlinear frequency conversion using organic DAST (4-N, N-dimethylamino-4'-N'-methylstilbazolium tosylate) crystal. Such ultrafast cascading effect is ensured by the interaction of a pump pulse with the exceptionally large effective nonlinearity of the DAST crystal and experiencing nonresonant, strongly phase-mismatched, Kerr-like negative nonlinearity.

Pump pulse width and temperature effects in lithium niobate for efficient THz generation

We present a study on THz generation in lithium niobate pumped by a powerful and versatile Yb:CaF(2) laser. The unique laser system delivers transform-limited pulses of variable duration (0.38-0.65 ps) with pulse energies up to 15 mJ and center wavelength of 1030 nm. From previous theoretical investigations, it is expected that such laser parameters are ideally suited for efficient THz generation. Here, we present experimental results on both the conversion efficiency and the THz spectral shape for variable pump pulse durations and for different crystal temperatures, down to 25 K. We experimentally verify the optimum pump parameters for the most efficient and broadband THz generation.

High-energy terahertz pulses from organic crystals: DAST and DSTMS pumped at Ti:sapphire wavelength

High-energy terahertz pulses are produced by optical rectification (OR) in organic crystals 4-dimethylamino-N-methyl-4-stilbazolium tosylate (DAST) and 4-N, N-dimethylamino-4'-N'-methyl-stilbazolium 2,4,6-trimethylbenzenesulfonate (DSTMS) by a Ti:sapphire amplifier system with 0.8 μm central wavelength. The simple scheme provides broadband spectra between 1 and 5 THz, when pumped by a collimated 60 fs near-IR pump pulse, and it is scalable in energy. Fluence-dependent conversion efficiency and damage threshold are reported, as well as optimized OR at visible wavelengths.