Generation of arbitrarily chirped and CEP-controlled terahertz pulses for dispersion compensation using an optical pulse shaping technique and a fan-out periodically poled crystal.

Abstract

We constructed a system that can generate phase-controlled terahertz (THz) pulses using a fan-out periodically poled lithium tantalate crystal and an optical pulse shaper containing a spatial light modulator. The phase of each THz frequency components could be controlled by manipulating the delay time of the corresponding optical pulses. Using the system, we generated arbitrarily group-velocity-dispersion-controlled THz pulses, where the chirp parameter was 2.53 ps2/rad between 0.6 and 1.5 THz. In addition, we generated arbitrarily carrier-envelope-phase-controlled THz pulses in the same system. Phase-controlled THz pulses may be useful for applications such as dispersion compensation.