Portable and Tunable Terahertz-Wave Parametric Generator Pumped by Microchip Nd:YAG Laser

Abstract

The authors have developed a terahertz wave parametric source using MgO:LiNbO3 pumped by a subnanosecond, passively Q-switched, microchip Nd:YAG laser. This pump source allows high intensity pumping without damaging of the nonlinear crystal and generates a narrow linewidth and tunable terahertz wave with injection seeding by an external cavity diode laser for the idler wave. The high intensity pumping causes a gain curve broadening of the terahertz wave parametric generation, esp. in the high frequency region. The authors obtained an output terahertz wave with a tuning range of 0.9-3 THz (100-330 μm), a peak power of 100 mW, and a linewidth of <10 GHz. This room temp. operated, palm-sized source promises to be a new widely tunable terahertz wave source that is suited to a variety of applications. [on SciFinder(R)]