Longitudinally polarized single-cycle terahertz pulses generated with high electric field strengths

Abstract

We demonstrate the generation of single-cycle longitudinally polarized terahertz pulses with field amplitudes in excess of 11 kV/cm using the interferometric recombination of two linearly polarized terahertz beams. High field strength transversely polarized pulses were generated by optical rectification in a matched pair of magnesium-oxide doped stoichiometric lithium niobate (MgO:SLN) crystals with a reversal in the χ 333 (2) orientation. The discontinuity in χ 333 (2) produces a polarity flip in the transverse field; the longitudinal field produced as a consequence of the transverse field discontinuity was measured in the far-field. Both the spatial and temporal profiles of the measured longitudinally polarized terahertz radiation were consistent with the propagation of the transverse discontinuity.