Search arXiv⌕ Search
Home/Archive/arXiv

arXiv · 1407.1656

Terahertz brightness at the extreme: demonstration of 5 GV/m, 17 T low frequency λ3 terahertz bullet

Mostafa Shalaby·Christoph P. Hauri
View original source ↗Read source document ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

The brightness of a light source defines its applicability to nonlinear phenomena in science. Bright low frequency terahertz (< 5THz) radiation confined to a diffraction-limited spot size is a present hurdle due to the broad bandwidth and long wavelengths associated with single-cycle terahertz pulses as well as due to the lack of terahertz wavefront correctors. Here, using a present-technology system, we employ a new concept of terahertz wavefront manipulation and focusing optimization. We demonstrate a spatio-temporal confinement of terahertz energy at its physical limits to the least possible 3-dimensional light bullet volume of lambda cubic. This leads to a new regime of extremely bright terahertz radiation reaching 40 PW/m2 intensity. The presented work is focused on the sub-5 THz range using small aperture organic crystals DSTMS and OH1. The obtained peak field of up to 5 GV/m and 17 Tesla is order of magnitude higher than any reported single-cycle field oscillation in the entire THz range from a laser-based system and surpassing large scale accelerator systems. The presented results are foreseen to have a great impact on future nonlinear terahertz applications in different science disciplines.

Explore related subjects

physics.optics

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

Mostafa Shalaby, Christoph P. Hauri. 2014-07-07. Terahertz brightness at the extreme: demonstration of 5 GV/m, 17 T low frequency λ3 terahertz bullet. https://arxiv.org/abs/1407.1656

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related papers

arXiv2026

Nonlinear Magneto-Optical Probing of Time-Reversal Symmetry Breaking

Solid-state harmonic generation provides a nonlinear probe of symmetries encoded in electronic wave functions. In the subgap and weak-injection regime, time reversal pairs the harmonic responses driven by fields of opposite ellipticity, strongly suppressing elliptical dichroism in time-reversal-symmetric crystals. We show that, in a magnetic crystal, spin-orbit coupling transfers time-reversal-symmetry breaking from the spin sector to the orbital wave functions and lifts this pairing through the geometric phases of the electric-dipole current. Semiconductor-Bloch-equation calculations for centrosymmetric bilayer Cr2Ge2Te6 predict pronounced third-harmonic elliptical dichroism that reverses with the magnetization. Under linearly polarized driving, SOC-induced geometric-phase accumulation generates a nonlinear transverse current and strongly enhances the harmonic rotation and ellipticity. These results identify the geometric phase as a key microscopic contribution to the nonlinear magneto-optical response. This work establishes helicity-resolved harmonic emission and nonlinear polarimetry as complementary probes of spin-orbit-coupled magnetic order.

physics.optics↗
arXiv2026

Spatiotemporal topological phase transitions in photonic spacetime crystals

Topological phase transitions have played a central role in topological physics. However, such transitions have so far been restricted to spatial or temporal crystals. Here, we transcend this conventional framework and report, for the first time, spatiotemporal topological phase transitions in photonic spacetime crystals - structures that are periodically modulated in both space and time. In a genuine photonic spacetime crystal composed of a dynamically modulated transmission-line metamaterial, we theoretically propose and experimentally demonstrate complete spatiotemporal topological phase transitions, characterized by the closing and reopening of both energy and momentum band gaps, along with changes in spatiotemporal topological invariants and topological phases. Furthermore, we directly observe a spatiotemporal, topologically localized state that exhibits causality-governed excitation and robustness to spatiotemporal disorders. Our findings reveal the interplay among space, time, and topology, establishing a unified framework that provides a comprehensive picture of the emerging topological spacetime physics and opening new avenues for robust spatiotemporal topological wave manipulations.

physics.optics↗
arXiv2026

High-Resolution Sensing via Quantum States Discrimination

High-resolution sensing plays a significant role in scientific research and industrial production, but the practical implementation is constrained by the physical mechanisms of the sensors. To address the critical limitation, we propose a high-resolution sensing approach based on quantum state discrimination. Distinct from conventional strategies, the proposed approach constructs measurement operators in the orthogonal complement space rather than eigenspace of the eigenstate, thereby notably improving the discriminability among quantum states. Moreover, the experimental results via an optical microcavity demonstrate a potential sensing resolution of 4 $\times$ 10\textsuperscript{-6} \degree C and 18 p$ε$ respectively for temperature and strain, and further verify the feasibility of simultaneous sensing of the two parameters. This work establishs a universal approach for high-resolution sensing, and may be extended to different sensing platforms across various application scenarios.

physics.optics↗