Abstract

Generation of THz radiation using optical pulses can be performed either with photoconducting switches [1] or through the process of optical rectification in electro-optic materials [2]. In the latter case, non-resonant optical nonlinearities with an ultrashort response time can be used, so that the polarization induced in the material can be as short as the exciting pulse. Since pulses shorter than 10 fs are now available [3], frequencies up to a few tens of THz are achievable which is well into the mid-infrared domain. This compares with a few THz previously reported [2].

© 1995 Optical Society of America