Efficient terahertz generation from two collinearly propagating C O2 laser pulses

Abstract

Coherent terahertz pulses have been generated at 328.2 μm (914.1 GHz) by frequency-mixing two C O2 laser lines near 10 μm based on collinearly phase-matched difference-frequency generation in GaSe crystals. The highest average output power was measured to be 260 μW, corresponding to a peak output power of 510 mW. Both the average powers and normalized conversion efficiencies have been significantly improved over the previous results. The generated terahertz pulses are expected to have the narrowest linewidth dictated by the pulse width through Fourier transform based on the characteristics of the two C O2 laser beams. © 2007 American Institute of Physics.