Engineered nonlinear photonic quasicrystals for multi-frequency terahertz manipulation

Area of Science:

• Photonics and Wave Interactions
• Condensed Matter Physics
• Materials Science

Background:

• Photonic quasicrystals exhibit unique wave interaction properties.
• Terahertz (THz) radiation offers potential for advanced spectroscopy and imaging.
• Controlling THz wave propagation in engineered materials is crucial for device development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the interaction between electromagnetic waves and photonic quasicrystals.
• To experimentally demonstrate a novel terahertz (THz) source.
• To analyze the physical properties of THz waves within a quasiperiodic superlattice.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of an optical LiTaO(3) superlattice using quasiperiodic (Fibonacci) domain inversion.
• Utilizing a canonical pump-probe experimental technique for THz radiation detection.
• In-situ simultaneous detection of THz waves in both forward and backward propagation.

Main Results:

• Successful demonstration of a multi-frequency THz source.
• Observation of four distinct THz frequencies (1.18, 0.78, 0.59, and 0.37 THz) in the Fourier transform spectrum.
• Simultaneous detection of THz radiation in both forward and backward directions.

Conclusions:

• The Fibonacci superlattice effectively generates multi-frequency THz radiation.
• The experimental setup allows for comprehensive analysis of THz wave propagation characteristics.
• This work provides insights into the physical properties of THz waves in photonic quasicrystals.