Optical, Parametric Terahertz Source and Electro-optic Field Sensor
* SPEAKERS
Name
Affiliation
E-mail
Dong Ho Wu
U.S. Naval Research Laboratory
* HOST(Applicant)
Name
Affiliation
E-mail
-
* DATE / TIME
2005-07-19, 11:00 - 12:00
* PLACE
Seminar Room #512, APCTP Headquarters
* ABSTRACT
Although terahertz research and development could have a major impact on science and technology, this field remains technologically immature. Most of the achievements have been demonstrated only in the laboratory; few practical applications have been deployed in the field. What is keeping terahertz technology from fulfilling its promise is the current lack of useable, portable high-power sources and high sensitivity detectors. Although there are several possible technologies for developing terahertz sources, most of them have serious defects and the sources produced are unsuitable . We have investigated a terahertz source technology that is based on an optical parametric technique. The source we have produced is portable, and the terahertz beam power exceeds 100 mW over the frequency range, 100 GHz through 5 THz. In our investigations we studied how the nonlinear optical properties affect the generation of the terahertz beam. For the detection of terahertz signals we have developed an electro-optic (EO) field sensor, which is able to detect an electric field over a very broad frequency range, namely, DC to terahertz. The EO field sensors are also fabricated from nonlinear optical crystals. In this talk I will present our experimental results on the optical parametric generator and the efficiency of the EO sensors, along with the influence of materials defects and the photorefractive effect on these devices.
