Shockwave-based THz emission in air

Abstract

THz emission in air under the irradiation of a pair of tightly-focused femtosecond laser pulses (800nm, 35fs) with nanosecond time delay and micro-meter spatial offsets is studied with polarization-sensitive THz time-domain spectroscopy and time-resolved imaging. The pre-pulse irradiation induces air-breakdown at its focus, which results in the expansion of shockwave front traveling outward. When the main pulse irradiates such shockwave front far from the pre-pulse focus with nanosecond delay, THz emission intensity was enhanced up to ∼13-times and its linear polarization was aligned along the line between the two focus positions of the pre- and the main pulses which is parallel to the expansion direction of the shockwave front. Asymmetric density profiles of the shockwave fronts prepared by the pre-pulse irradiation define the polarization of THz emission. Mechanisms are discussed from the viewpoint of electron diffusion in such asymmetric density profiles.