Manipulation of terahertz waveforms in nonlinear optical crystals by shaped optical pulses

摘要

We manipulate terahertz (THz) waveforms by optical rectification in nonlinear optical crystals using a pair of temporally separated femtosecond pulses. Two single-cycle THz pulses coherently control rotational transitions in gas-phase HCl molecules. Continuously tunable narrowband THz pulses are generated in a fanned-out, periodically poled lithium niobate crystal. The shape of the multicycle THz pulses is controlled by adjusting the relative time delay and intensity between the two optical pulses. (c) 2006 Optical Society of America.