THz pulses over 50 millijoules generated from relativistic picosecond laser-plasma interactions

TL;DR

This paper reports the first generation of ultra-high-energy (>50 mJ) low-frequency THz pulses using relativistic laser-plasma interactions, enabling new nonlinear and relativistic THz applications.

Contribution

It demonstrates a novel method to produce high-energy THz pulses exceeding previous energy barriers using laser-driven relativistic electron bunches.

Findings

Generated THz pulses over 50 mJ energy

Achieved low-frequency (<3 THz) radiation

Enabled new nonlinear and relativistic THz research fields

Abstract

Ultrahigh-power terahertz (THz) radiation sources are essential for many applications, such as nonlinear THz physics, THz-wave based compact accelerators, etc. However, until now none of THz sources reported, whether based upon large-scale accelerators or high power lasers, have produced THz pulses with energies above the millijoule (mJ) barrier. Here we report on the efficient generation of low-frequency (<3 THz) THz pulses with unprecedentedly high energies over 50 mJ. The THz radiation is produced by coherent transition radiation of a picosecond laser-accelerated ultra-bright bunch of relativistic electrons from a solid target. Such high energy THz pulses can not only trigger various nonlinear dynamics in matter, but also open up a new research field of relativistic THz optics.