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Strong and collimated terahertz radiation by super-Gaussian lasers

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2012 EPL 100 45001

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 November 2012
EPL, 100 (2012) 45001 www.epljournal.org
doi: 10.1209/0295-5075/100/45001

Strong and collimated terahertz radiation by super-Gaussian lasers

Hitendra K. Malik and Anil K. Malik

Plasma Waves and Particle Acceleration Laboratory, Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology
Delhi - New Delhi - 110 016, India

received 22 September 2012; accepted in final form 1 November 2012

published online 28 November 2012
PACS 52.38.-r – Laser-plasma interactions
PACS 52.40.Db – Electromagnetic (nonlaser) radiation interactions with plasma
PACS 52.35.Hr – Electromagnetic waves (e.g., electron-cyclotron, Whistler, Bernstein, upper
hybrid, lower hybrid)

Abstract – We propose two super-Gaussian laser beams with frequency difference for obtaining
more collimated terahertz (THz) radiation at a desired position based on their order/index and
for enhancing the efficiency of the scheme by realizing stronger transient transverse current due
to the spatial variation of their fields. For the laser intensity of ∼1014 W/cm2 and along with the
application of a periodic density structure, a resonant excitation of the THz radiation is achieved
together with the efficiency of scheme as ∼0.006.

c EPLA, 2012
Copyright

The researchers all over the world have been putting
their efforts to achieve a THz radiation source with
large electric field [1–21] as the THz radiation has
diverse applications in material characterization, imag-
ing, topography and remote sensing [22], chemical and
security identification etc. [23,24]. Vodopyanov et al. [2]
have reported tunable (1.5–2 THz) THz output with up
to 200 µW average power in periodically inverted GaAs
using resonantly enhanced multispectral frequency mixing
inside the cavity of a type-0 optical parametric oscillator
operating at degeneracy. Kukushkin [3] has demonstrated
the THz radiation generation based on the inversion of
transition between heavy- and light-hole sub-bands in
the THz spectral range in semiconductors under crossed
static magnetic field and alternating electric field. Kan et
al. [4] have reported multimode THz wave generation
using coherent Cerenkov radiation. Several experiments
have made use of plasma as a medium for the THz
radiation generation by sub-picoseconds laser pulses and
energetic electron beams [5–10,25]. The THz radiation
has also been produced from a dc-biased two-color
femtosecond laser-induced filament in air [11]. Our group
has investigated the THz generation by tunnel ionization
of a gas jet with the help of superposed femtosecond
laser pulses [12]. Chen et al. [26] have also obtained the
THz radiation from ultrashort laser pulse interaction
with a neutral gas target via ionization-induced trans-
verse currents. Jha et al. [13] have reported the THz
radiation generation due to wakefields produced by short
laser pulses in a magnetized plasma. Based on Cerenkov
wake excited in a perpendicularly magnetized plasma,
Yoshii et al. [14], theoretically, and Yugami et al. [15],
experimentally, have demonstrated the THz radiation
generation. Using fundamental- and second-harmonic
lasers of peak intensities ∼5 × 1014 W/cm2 and focusing
them into air, Cook and Hochstrasser [16] have obtained
the peak THz field of ∼2 kV/cm at 2 THz frequency.
A corrugated plasma channel has been suggested for
the phase matched THz radiation generation by the
ponderomotive force of a laser pulse [17]. Assuming
Gaussian profiles for the pump amplitude, Fedele et
al. [18] have reported radial electric-field components
generated by the propagation of two electromagnetic
waves resonantly beating in a plasma. We have recently
shown the generation of strong THz radiation but the
position of peak THz field could not be tuned in such a
process [19,27].
In most of the schemes, optimal focusing and colli-
mation of the emitted THz radiation has not so far
been achieved. However, in the present letter, we propose
to use two super-Gaussian lasers with spatial envelopes
for achieving these properties. Contrary to the case of
two spatial-Gaussian lasers [27], we can focus the emit-
ted radiation at a desired position by selecting a proper
index/order of super-Gaussian lasers. Here we achieve the
resonance condition between the ponderomotive force and
transverse current at the frequency difference of the two
lasers by introducing ripples in the plasma density, and
we obtain the radiation with much higher field than in the
case of Gaussian lasers.
We consider two spatial-super-Gaussian lasers of
frequencies ω1 and ω2 , and wave numbers k1 and k2 ,

45001-p1
Hitendra K. Malik and Anil K. Malik

co-propagating in the x-direction and polarized along the

y-direction. Thus, their fields are given by

 q 
 y
Ej = ŷE0 exp − ei(kj x−ωj t)
a0
with j = 1, 2. Here a0 is the beam width and the quantity
q represents the order/index of super-Gaussian lasers;
q = 2(> 2) corresponds to the Gaussian (super-Gaussian)
profiles. Because of the lasers’ field, the electrons attain
oscillatory velocities as vj = eE j /miωj , and also the
ponderomotive force exerted on the electrons is obtained
using fpN L = − e2 /2mω1 ω2 ∇(  E
1 · E ∗ ) that yields
2

 q 
e2 E02 y
fpN L = − exp −2
2mω1 ω2 a0
  q−1 
2q y

Fig. 1: (Colour on-line) Sketch of THz radiation field with
× ik  x̂ − ŷ ei(k x−ω t) . frequency difference and the transverse distance from the
a0 a0 14 13 ∗
x-axis, when ω1 = 2.4 × 10 rad/s, ωp = 2 × 10 rad/s, |v2 | =
  0.3c and nβ /n0 = 0.3. Left, medium and right graphs represent
Here ω ≡ ω1 − ω2 and k ≡ k1 − k2 . In the presence of
the cases of Gaussian lasers with q = 2, super-Gaussian lasers
this nonlinear ponderomotive force, a nonlinear perturba- with q = 4 and super-Gaussian lasers with q = 6, respectively.
tion in the electron density (say nN L ) takes place, which
 fN L
n0 ∇·
is obtained as nN L = mω
2p . This density perturba- is the source of radiation generation and k and k  are
tion produces a space-charge potential φ at the frequency different, the resonant excitation of the radiations is
ω  and the wave number k  , causing a linear density possible when k and k  are tuned. In view of k = k  + β, the
ω 2  ∇φ)

perturbation nL = ω
2p ∇·( 4πe . By taking contribution of
resonance condition is achieved by optimizing the ripples
L NL wave number β.
both the perturbations n and n in Poisson’s equa-  of the THz radiation can be obtained from
2 NL L  The field E
tion ∇ φ = 4πe(n + n ), we evaluate ∇φ in terms of    
fpN L as ∇φ  = {4πn0 e/m(ω 2 − ωp2 )}fpN L . Then using the Maxwell’s equations ∇ × E = −(1/c)(∂ B/∂t) and ∇ ×
  
B = (4π/c)J + (1/c)(∂ E/∂t) that give rise to the following
equation of motion as (∂v N L /∂t) = (fL + fN L )/m under wave equation:
the combined effect of fL (≡ e∇φ)  and fpN L , we calculate
ω 2 − ωp2
NL iω
fpN L −∇ 2
E +  ∇
∇(  = 4πiω JN L +
 · E) 
E. (1)
the nonlinear velocity of the electrons as v = m(ω
2 −ω2 ) . c2 c2
p
Finally, neglecting the laser-produced perturbed density, Taking divergence of this equation and making use
the nonlinear current density is evaluated using JN L = of the expression of JN L , we obtain the normalized
− 12 n ev N L , which gives amplitude of the THz field as
 
   q−1
 q
JN L = ine3 ω  E02 /2m ω 2 − ωp2  E0y  nβ q ωp2 ω 2 |v2∗ | y y
     = exp −2 ,
q−1 
 E0  n0 2 ω1 (ω 2 − ω 2 )2 a0 a0 a 0
× ŷ (−2q/a0 ) (y/a0 ) + ik x  
p
 eE ∗ 
q 
×exp {−2 (y/a0 ) } exp {i (kx − ω t)} .  2
where |v2∗ | =  . (2)
 mi ω2 
Here n = nβ eiβx is the ripple in the plasma density
n = n0 + n together with nβ as the amplitude and β as In the process of obtaining eq. (2), it is realized that the
2
the wave number. These ripples in the plasma density phase matching condition requires k 2 − ωc2 (1 − ω
2
p
ω 2 ) = 0.
can be obtained by laser machining, which has been Under the resonance condition ω ≈ ωp , the ripple wave
employed earlier for the generation of the relativistic third number matches the beat wave number and hence, the
harmonic [20]. Also a ripple structure of crystalline layers maximum transfer of energy takes place. Therefore, the
has been created in ion-beam–induced Si wafer [21]. In THz field amplitude acquires larger values, when the fre-
the present scheme, the density ripples work as the slow quency difference ω approaches the electron plasma
wave structure and help in the resonant excitation of frequency ωp , and it decreases as ω departs from ωp
the radiations. This can be understood based on the (fig. 1). This is further observed from fig. 1 that the THz
expressions of JN L and fpN L , which show that the current field amplitude is higher for the case of super-Gaussian
oscillates at the frequency ω  (represented by ω in the lasers of index 6. The Gaussian lasers (q = 2), however,
forthcoming section) and the wave number k and the produce the THz radiation with the lowest amplitude and
ponderomotive force oscillates at ω  and k  . Since JN L the super-Gaussian lasers of index 4 generate the field

45001-p2

0.15
Sup Gauss(q=4),
Normalized THz Field
a0=0.05mm
0.125
Sup Gauss(q=4),
0.1 a0=0.1mm
0.075 Gauss(q=2),
a0=0.05
0.05
0.025
0 n /n
0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1 1.25
y/a0
Fig. 2: (Colour on-line) Normalized THz radiation field vs.
normalized transverse distance from the x-axis for different
values of the beam width a0 at ω/ωp = 1.05 and when the other
parameters are the same as in fig. 1.
with the amplitude lying between the cases of q = 2 and
q = 6. Hence, it is clear that the super-Gaussian lasers
produce stronger radiation than in the case of Gaussian
lasers [27].
The role of index q in obtaining the strong and colli-
mated radiation is clarified in fig. 2. A comparison of solid
lines (q = 2) with dashed lines (q = 6) and dash-dotted
lines (q = 4) reveals that the THz radiation is focused at
y/a0 = 0.5 in the case of Gaussian lasers with index q = 2,
at y/a0 = 0.78 in the case of super-Gaussian lasers with
q = 4 and at y/a0 = 0.86 in the case of super-Gaussian
lasers with q = 6. In the case of Gaussian lasers, the trans-
verse variation of the THz field is not symmetrical along
the y-axis. However, the THz field emits with its symmet-
rical transverse distribution in the cases of super-Gaussian
lasers. Moreover, higher collimated/focused radiation is
obtained in the case of higher index (q = 6) super-Gaussian
lasers. This means that the collimated and strong THz
radiation can be achieved if the super-Gaussian lasers
with higher index are used in the present scheme. Also by
changing the index we can obtain the radiation of highest
intensity at a desired position. In addition, when we focus
on the effect of beam width a0 , it is observed that the
super-Gaussian lasers with q = 6 show very strong depen-
dence on a0 and the radiation becomes more collimated
along with larger intensity for the case of lower beam width
lasers. The super-Gaussian lasers with q = 4 show compar-
atively less significant dependence on a0 and the Gaussian
lasers show the least dependence on a0 . The strongest field
in the case of super-Gaussian lasers with q = 6 is attributed
to the sharp gradient in the lasers’ fields, which produces a
strong ponderomotive force and hence, the largest nonlin-
ear current. The smallest THz field in the case of Gaussian
lasers is due to the weakest nonlinear current [27].
In fig. 3, we make a comparative study of THz field
obtained using Gaussian and super-Gaussian lasers with
respect to the amplitude of density ripples. Here we talk
Strong and collimated terahertz radiation generation
Normalized Peak THz Field
0.2
Sup Gauss(q=6), Sup Gauss (q=6), y/a0=0.864
a0=0.05mm
0.15
Sup Gauss (q=4),
Sup Gauss(q=6), y/a0=0.78
a0=0.1mm
0.1
Gauss(q=2),
a0=0.1
0.05
Gauss (q=2), y/a0=0.5
0
0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35
1.5 β 0
Fig. 3: Maximum amplitude of THz field vs. normalized density
ripple amplitude for the same parameters as in fig. 1.
about the maximum field of the THz radiation. Clearly
the effect of ripple amplitude nβ is to enhance the THz
field for all the cases. However, the field increases very
significantly in the case of super-Gaussian lasers of index
q = 6. The enhanced field with nβ is plausible as more
electrons take part (in phase) in the oscillating current,
which generates efficient THz radiation. The profile of
density ripple nβ eiβx reveals that the effect of increasing
nβ can be viewed as if β is lowered for the fixed value of nβ .
Since β represents the periodicity of the density ripples,
it is obvious that the sharp density ripples will produce
larger-intensity THz radiation. This is consistent with the
observation of Antonsen et al. [17].
In the present scheme, the tuning of THz field, chang-
ing the position (focusing) of maximum field and the
collimation based on the index/order of super-Gaussian
lasers are new aspects which have not been explored in
the other schemes [1,12–14,25–29]. Also, Bartel et al. [28]
had reported the THz electric field ∼400 kV/cm during
a nonlinear interaction of the fundamental (frequency ω)
and second harmonics (2ω) in a laser-generated nitro-
gen plasma. The field in their approach is limited by
the damage in the BBO crystal (used to create second
harmonic) at the laser intensities exceeding ∼2 TW/cm2 .
However, in our scheme, the emitted field amplitude is
∼5.4 × 104 kV/cm for CO2 lasers (say) with frequency
2.4 × 1014 rad/s and intensity 1014 W/cm2 in a plasma
having density 1.81 × 1017 cm–3 . By using large-aperture
photoconductors with the bias voltage up to 45 kV, You et
al. [1] had obtained the highest field amplitude of radia-
tion as 150 kV/cm, which is lower than ours. Further, the
field of emitted radiation in our scheme increases linearly
with the fields of the lasers.
In order to examine the efficiency of the present scheme,
we calculate the energy densities [27,30] of the emitted
radiation (WT Hz ) and the incident lasers (Wpump ) as
2ε0 a0 2
Wpump = |E0 | Γ(1/q)
q21/q
45001-p3
Hitendra K. Malik and Anil K. Malik
−3
x 10
6 the conversion efficiency of THz radiation reaches about
Sup Gauss(q=6), nβ/n0=0.3
5 Sup Gauss(q=4), nβ/n0=0.3
Efficiency η
Gauss (q=2), nβ/n0=0.3
4
Sup Gauss(q=6), nβa/n0=0.2
3 Sup Gauss (q=4), nβ/n0=0.2
Gauss (q=2), nβ/n0=0.2
2 THz radiation compared to the case of Gaussian lasers.
1 Gaussian lasers is given by the fact that the radiation
0 collimation by varying the index of the lasers in a plasma
0.5 1 1.5
a0 (m)
x 10
Fig. 4: (Colour on-line) Variation of efficiency η with beam
width a0 of Gaussian and super-Gaussian lasers for different
values of the density ripple nβ at ω/ωp = 1.05 and when the
other parameters are the same as in fig. 1.
and
 2 2 [4] Kan K., Yang J., Ogata A., Kondoh T., Norizawa
qε0 nβ ωp4 ω 4 |v2∗ | E02 Γ(2 − 1/q)
WT Hz =
8 n0 ω12 (ω 2 − ωp2 )4 a0 2(3−2/q)
together with Γ as the gamma function. Then, the effi-
ciency (η) of the THz radiation generation is evaluated
as
n2β ωp4 ω 4 |v2∗ |2
WT Hz 1 q2 Γ(2 − 1/q)
η= = 2 2 2 .
Wpump 16 n0 ω1 (ω 2 − ωp2 )4 a0 2(3−3/q) Γ(1/q)
(3)
The dependence of efficiency η on the ripple ampli-
tude nβ and the beam width a0 is shown in fig. 4 for
the Gaussian and super-Gaussian lasers at ω/ωp = 1.05.
Here it is clear that the efficiency of the present scheme is
higher if the lasers of smaller beam width are employed,
and similar effects of the beam width are obtained for
all the cases. Although a similar effect of density ripples
is found on the efficiency and the efficiency is higher
for the larger ripples, the density ripples affect the effi-
ciency in a most significant manner in the case of higher-
index (q = 6) super-Gaussian lasers. It means the present
scheme can produce the THz radiation very efficiently if
the super-Gaussian lasers of higher index are used. The
efficiency ∼0.006 of the present scheme is larger than that
of several other types of schemes. For example, Hamster
et al. [29] used a single laser (Gaussian in both space
and time) and reported that the THz field ∼108 V/cm
is obtained at the laser intensity of 1019 W/cm2 . This
implies that the efficiency of conversion in their case is
∼10−5 , whereas in our case of two lasers the conversion
efficiency is ∼0.006 and is much higher. When a laser pulse
is incident obliquely on the plasma slab of the order of
THz wavelength in thickness, Wu et al. [31] reported that
10−5 for ∼1019 W/cm2 laser intensity. Kim et al. [32]
obtained the conversion efficiency of ∼0.0001, when differ-
ent gases are irradiated by a symmetry-broken laser field
composed of the fundamental- and second-harmonic laser
pulses.
In conclusion, our generalized calculations show that
the two spatial-super-Gaussian lasers of higher index
and smaller beam width can produce much stronger
Moreover, the supremacy of the present scheme over the
can also be focused at a desired position along with more
2 having larger-density ripples.
−4
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