Abstract-Terahertz generation from laser-driven ultrafast current propagation along a wire target

H. B. Zhuo, S. J. Zhang, X. H. Li, H. Y. Zhou, X. Z. Li, D. B. Zou, M. Y. Yu, H. C. Wu, Z. M. Sheng, and C. T. Zhou

Phys. Rev. E 95, 013201 – Published 5 January 2017

https://journals.aps.org/pre/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevE.95.013201

Generation of intense coherent THz radiation by obliquely incidenting an intense laser pulse on a wire target is studied using particle-in-cell simulation. The laser-accelerated fast electrons are confined and guided along the surface of the wire, which then acts like a current-carrying line antenna and under appropriate conditions can emit electromagnetic radiation in the THz regime. For a driving laser intensity ∼3×1018W/cm2 and pulse duration ∼10 fs, a transient current above 10 KA is produced on the wire surface. The emission-cone angle of the resulting ∼0.15 mJ (∼58 GV/m peak electric field) THz radiation is ∼30∘. The conversion efficiency of laser-to-THz energy is ∼0.75%. A simple analytical model that well reproduces the simulated result is presented.

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