TeraHertz imaging of hidden paint layers on canvas

We show terahertz reflection images of hidden paint layers in a painting on canvas and compare the results with X-ray Radiography and Infrared Reflectography. Our terahertz measurements show strong reflections from both the canvas/paint interface and from the raw umber/lead white interface, indicating sufficient refractive-index contrast. Our...

Terahertz generation from graphite

Generation of subpicosecond terahertz pulses is observed when graphite surfaces are illuminated with femtosecond near-infrared laser pulses. The nonlinear optical generation of THz pulses from graphite is unexpected since, in principle, the material possesses a centre of inversion symmetry. Experiments with highly oriented pyrolytic graphite...

Shape resonance omni-directional terahertz filters with near-unity transmittance

Terahertz transmission filters have been manufactured by perforating metal films with various geometric shapes using femtosecond laser machining. Two dimensional arrays of square, circular, rectangular, cshaped, and epsilon-shaped holes all support over 99% transmission at specific frequencies determined by geometric shape, symmetry,...

Influence of pump wavelength and crystal length on the phase matching of optical rectification

We present measurements on terahertz generation by optical rectification, in which both the thickness of the generation crystal and the wavelength of the generating optical pulse are varied. The difference between the group velocity at optical frequencies and the phase velocity at terahertz frequencies affects the time trace and spectrum of the...