Abstract
Calculations were carried out to optimize the output THz peak electric field strength in optical rectification of ultrashort laser pulses in LiNbO3 using tilted-pulse-front excitation. The results predict peak electric field strengths on the MV/cm level in the 0.3–1.5 THz frequency range by using optimal pump pulse duration of about 500 fs, optimal crystal length, and cryogenic temperatures for reducing THz absorption in LiNbO3. The THz electric field strength can be increased further to tens of MV/cm by focusing. Using optimal conditions together with the contact grating technique THz pulses with 100 MV/cm focused electric field strength and energies on the tens-of-mJ scale are feasible.
© 2011 Optical Society of America
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