Abstract

In recent years, terahertz (THz) radiation has been generated from a variety of nonlinear optical materials [1-3]. Many of these materials exhibit a high degree of dispersion, corresponding to small coherence lengths for difference frequency mixing, and high absorption, thus limiting the total conversion efficiency. Polymeric media offer many attractive properties for far infrared generation. In addition to being relatively low loss, low dispersion materials, they are readily processable, can be poled to induce non-centrosymmetry, and may possess nonlinear coefficients greater than that of lithium niobate . We report the first observation of THz generation from an organic poled polymer. We describe how these materials may be used as intense far-infrared emitters.

© 1995 Optical Society of America