Terahertz wave generation via optical rectification from multiferroic BiFeO3

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates broadband terahertz wave generation from BiFeO3 via optical rectification, revealing its potential for ferroelectric memory and domain imaging, and provides room-temperature THz optical constants.

Contribution

It is the first to show THz emission from BiFeO3 driven by optical rectification and characterizes its THz optical constants at room temperature.

Findings

Broadband THz emission detected from BiFeO3.

THz emission depends on optical pulse energy and polarization.

Room-temperature THz optical constants measured.

Abstract

We detected broadband coherent terahertz (THz) emission from multiferroic BiFeO3 after illuminating a high-quality bulk single ferroelectric domain crystal with a ~100 fs optical pulse. The dependence of the emitted THz waveform on the energy and polarization of the optical pulse is consistent with the optical rectification mechanism of THz emission. The THz emission provides a sensitive probe of the electric polarization state of BiFeO3, enabling applications in ferroelectric memories and ferroelectric domain imaging. We also report room-temperature THz optical constants of BiFeO3.