Abstract-Subcycle control of terahertz waveform polarization using all-optically induced transient metamaterials

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N Kamaraju^1,2, Andrea Rubano^1,3, Linke Jian⁴, Surajit Saha⁴, T Venkatesan⁴, Jan Nötzold¹, R Kramer Campen¹, Martin Wolf¹ and Tobias Kampfrath¹

1. ¹Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, 14195 Berlin, Germany
2. ²Department of Electrical, Computer, and Systems Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA
3. ³CNR-SPIN, Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Napoli Federico II, Napoli, Italy
4. ⁴NUSNNI-Nanocore, National University of Singapore, Singapore

Correspondence: Dr N Kamaraju, Department of Electrical, Computer, and Systems Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA. E-mail: nkamaraju@gmail.com; Dr T Kampfrath, Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, Faradayweg 4–6, 14195 Berlin, Germany. E-mail: kampfrath@fhi-berlin.mpg.de

Received 26 July 2013; Revised 18 October 2013; Accepted 13 November 2013, Published online February 28 2014

http://www.nature.com/lsa/journal/v3/n2/full/lsa201436a.html

Coherent radiation with frequencies ranging from 0.3 to 30 THz has recently become accessible using femtosecond laser technology. These terahertz (THz) waves have already been applied in spectroscopy and imaging and can be manipulated using static optical elements such as lenses, polarizers and filters. However, ultrafast modulation of THz radiation is required as well, for instance, in short-range wireless communication or for preparing shaped THz transients for the coherent control of numerous material excitations. Here, we demonstrate an all-optically created transient metamaterial that allows us to manipulate the polarization of THz waveforms with subcycle switch-on times. The polarization-modulated pulses are potentially interesting for controlling elementary motions such as the vibration of crystal lattices, the rotation of molecules and the precession of spins.