Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:quant-ph/0605085 · Physical Review A

Generation of coherent terahertz pulses in ruby at room temperature

Elena Kuznetsova, Yuri V. Rostovtsev, Nikolai G. Kalugin, Roman L. Kolesov, Olga A. Kocharovskaya, Marlan O. Scully

Published Aug 29, 2006• 16 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We have shown that a coherently driven solid state medium can potentially produce strong controllable short pulses of THz radiation. The high efficiency of the technique is based on excitation of maximal THz coherence by applying resonant optical pulses to the medium. The excited coherence in the medium is connected to macroscopic polarization coupled to THz radiation. We have performed detailed simulations by solving the coupled density matrix and Maxwell equations. By using a simple V-type energy scheme for ruby, we have demonstrated that the energy of generated THz pulses ranges from hundreds of pico-Joules to nano-Joules at room temperature and micro-Joules at liquid helium temperature, with pulse durations from picoseconds to tens of nanoseconds. We have also suggested a coherent ruby source that lases on two optical wavelengths and simultaneously generates THz radiation. We discussed also possibilities of extension of the technique to different solid-state materials.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.74.023819

Related papers

Coherent Generation of Short Terahertz Pulses in Doped Optical Crystals

Elena A. Kuznetsova, Yuri V. Rostovtsev, Nikolai G. Kalugin +3 more

Terahertz radiation has unique potential for applications to material diagnostics including semiconductors, chemical compounds, biomolecules and biotissues, imaging for medical and security applications, remote atmospheric sensing and monitoring, astronomy, etc. The search for efficient, high-power, inexpensive, portable and room temperature suitable methods of generation of THz radiation is one of the main topics in modern optoelectronics and photonics. Specifically, coherent solid-state compact efficient THz sources are desirable. Recently we suggested a new approach to the problem of generation of short coherent THz pulses in molecular gases taking advantage of the dramatic enhancement of a nonlinear response of a medium via quantum coherence. Stimulated Raman adiabatic passage (STIRAP) technique was proposed for preparation of maximal molecular coherence by two optical pump fields, which is further used to efficiently scatter off an IR probe beam and generate a Stokes THz field in a double Λ scheme. The central idea of the crystal-based technique is to generate THz radiation by resonantly inducing coherence at the corresponding transition by coherent optical fields. Electronic levels of the THz transition are coupled by a pair of optical fields to a common ground state forming a V scheme of energy levels. Coherence induced by the optical fields at the THz transition gives rise to polarization provided that the corresponding dipole moment is not zero, which will radiate out a THz pulse. We show that coherently driven molecular (such as methanol, H2F2, CH3Cl, etc.) and solid-state (ruby, alexandrite) media can potentially produce strong, controllable, short pulses of THz radiation. The pulses have energies ranging from hundreds pJ to J and time durations from several fs to ns at room temperature.

Frontiers in Optics•Jan 1, 2006•0 citations

Generation of strong short coherent terahertz pulses in gases and solids using quantum coherence

Nikolai G. Kalugin, Yuri V. Rostovtsev, Elena Kuznetsova +1 more

We show that using an excitation of maximal quantum coherence in coherently driven atomic, molecular, or solid state media potentially yield strong controllable short pulses of THz radiation. The pulses have the energies range from several nJ to µJ and time durations from several fs to ns at room temperature.

Optical Terahertz Science and Technology (OTST)•Jan 1, 2007•0 citations

Generation of strong short coherent terahertz pulses in Ladder-Lambda and Double-Lambda systems

Nikolai G. Kalugin, Yuri V. Rostovtsev, Marlan O. Scully

We show that coherently driven atomic or molecular media potentially yield strong controllable short pulses of THz radiation. The method is based on excitation of maximal quantum coherence in a gas medium by optical pulses and coherent scattering of infra-red radiation to produce pulses of THz radiation. The pulses have the energies range from several nJ to $μ$J and time durations from several fs to ns at room temperature.

arXiv:quant-ph/0602142•Feb 16, 2006•0 citations

Generation of Extremely Short Pulses of Terahertz Radiation Based on Superradiation of a Three-Level Resonant Medium

Rostislav M. Arkhipov, Nikolay N. Rosanov

Abstract The possibility of generating extremely short pulses of terahertz (THz) radiation due to superradiance—collective spontaneous emission of a thin layer of a three-level resonant medium excited by a pair of attosecond (or femtosecond) pulses—is studied theoretically. The source of a terahertz pulse is a pulse of stopped nonlinear polarization of the medium, which arises in the interval between its excitation and deexcitation. The case of a three-level medium with equidistant energy levels (as in a quantum harmonic oscillator) the transition frequency of which lies in the THz range is considered. The influence of the populations of the excited levels of the medium on the shape of a terahertz superradiance pulse is discussed.

Optics and Spectroscopy•Mar 1, 2021•4 citations

Generation of Ultrashort Attosecond and Terahertz Pulses Based on the Collective Spontaneous Emission from a Thin Resonant Medium (Brief Review)

Rostislav M. Arkhipov, Mikhail V. Arkhipov, A. V. Pakhomov +3 more

Our recent theoretical studies of generation of ultrashort pulses based on collective spontaneous emission from a thin resonant medium layer excited by a pair of high-frequency (compared to the transition frequency of the medium) pulses are reviewed. The source of generated radiation is a resonant polarization pulse in the medium (“stopped polarization pulse”), which is excited and switched off by a pair of light pump pulses. This method allows obtaining attosecond pulses in the optical and ultraviolet ranges, as well as femtosecond terahertz pulses. The effect of the superradiance in generation is discussed. The use of coherent and collective processes makes it possible to achieve a high efficiency of the generation of terahertz radiation. The proposed method is an alternative method of obtaining ultrashort pulses compared to the currently well-developed methods such as the high-harmonic generation method.

Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics Letters•Feb 1, 2021•22 citations

THz-assisted population inversion in strong-field excitation

JIANG Zeyu, REN Zhongxue, Yalei Zhu +4 more

Strong-field excitation provides new methods and means for coherent population of Rydberg states. In this study, we numerically solve the time-dependent Schrödinger equation to investigate the strong-field excitation and radiation dynamics under the cooperative interaction of terahertz (THz) and femtosecond strong laser pulses. In the radiation spectrum, the Rydberg states excited by the strong field are manifested as resonance peaks with energy below the ionization threshold. By using THz fields to control the electron motion on sub-optical cycles, we achieve modulation of Rydberg state population and high-order harmonic radiation under the influence of a strong laser field. We analyze the variation of the excited state population with THz intensity, frequency, and the angle between the infrared field polarization and the THz field. Our results show that, with the assistance of the THz field, population inversion occurs between the Rydberg states. This study provides a feasible scheme for THz amplification based on Rydberg atoms and holds significant implications for THz amplification, high-sensitivity detection, and quantum information processing.

Zhongguo kexue. Wulixue Lixue Tianwenxue•Mar 14, 2025•0 citations
We have shown that a coherently driven solid state medium can potentially produce strong controllable short pulses of THz radiation. The high efficiency of the technique is based on excitation of maximal THz coherence by applying resonant optical pulses to the medium. The excited coherence in the medium is connected to macroscopic polarization coupled to THz radiation. We have performed detailed simulations by solving the coupled density matrix and Maxwell equations. By using a simple V-type energy scheme for ruby, we have demonstrated that the energy of generated THz pulses ranges from hundreds of pico-Joules to nano-Joules at room temperature and micro-Joules at liquid helium temperature, with pulse durations from picoseconds to tens of nanoseconds. We have also suggested a coherent ruby source that lases on two optical wavelengths and simultaneously generates THz radiation. We discussed also possibilities of extension of the technique to different solid-state materials.
Terahertz radiation has unique potential for applications to material diagnostics including semiconductors, chemical compounds, biomolecules and biotissues, imaging for medical and security applications, remote atmospheric sensing and monitoring, astronomy, etc. The search for efficient, high-power, inexpensive, portable and room temperature suitable methods of generation of THz radiation is one of the main topics in modern optoelectronics and photonics. Specifically, coherent solid-state compact efficient THz sources are desirable. Recently we suggested a new approach to the problem of generation of short coherent THz pulses in molecular gases taking advantage of the dramatic enhancement of a nonlinear response of a medium via quantum coherence. Stimulated Raman adiabatic passage (STIRAP) technique was proposed for preparation of maximal molecular coherence by two optical pump fields, which is further used to efficiently scatter off an IR probe beam and generate a Stokes THz field in a double Λ scheme. The central idea of the crystal-based technique is to generate THz radiation by resonantly inducing coherence at the corresponding transition by coherent optical fields. Electronic levels of the THz transition are coupled by a pair of optical fields to a common ground state forming a V scheme of energy levels. Coherence induced by the optical fields at the THz transition gives rise to polarization provided that the corresponding dipole moment is not zero, which will radiate out a THz pulse. We show that coherently driven molecular (such as methanol, H2F2, CH3Cl, etc.) and solid-state (ruby, alexandrite) media can potentially produce strong, controllable, short pulses of THz radiation. The pulses have energies ranging from hundreds pJ to J and time durations from several fs to ns at room temperature.
We show that coherently driven atomic or molecular media potentially yield strong controllable short pulses of THz radiation. The method is based on excitation of maximal quantum coherence in a gas medium by optical pulses and coherent scattering of infra-red radiation to produce pulses of THz radiation. The pulses have the energies range from several nJ to μμμJ and time durations from several fs to ns at room temperature.
Abstract The possibility of generating extremely short pulses of terahertz (THz) radiation due to superradiance—collective spontaneous emission of a thin layer of a three-level resonant medium excited by a pair of attosecond (or femtosecond) pulses—is studied theoretically. The source of a terahertz pulse is a pulse of stopped nonlinear polarization of the medium, which arises in the interval between its excitation and deexcitation. The case of a three-level medium with equidistant energy levels (as in a quantum harmonic oscillator) the transition frequency of which lies in the THz range is considered. The influence of the populations of the excited levels of the medium on the shape of a terahertz superradiance pulse is discussed.
Our recent theoretical studies of generation of ultrashort pulses based on collective spontaneous emission from a thin resonant medium layer excited by a pair of high-frequency (compared to the transition frequency of the medium) pulses are reviewed. The source of generated radiation is a resonant polarization pulse in the medium (“stopped polarization pulse”), which is excited and switched off by a pair of light pump pulses. This method allows obtaining attosecond pulses in the optical and ultraviolet ranges, as well as femtosecond terahertz pulses. The effect of the superradiance in generation is discussed. The use of coherent and collective processes makes it possible to achieve a high efficiency of the generation of terahertz radiation. The proposed method is an alternative method of obtaining ultrashort pulses compared to the currently well-developed methods such as the high-harmonic generation method.
Strong-field excitation provides new methods and means for coherent population of Rydberg states. In this study, we numerically solve the time-dependent Schrödinger equation to investigate the strong-field excitation and radiation dynamics under the cooperative interaction of terahertz (THz) and femtosecond strong laser pulses. In the radiation spectrum, the Rydberg states excited by the strong field are manifested as resonance peaks with energy below the ionization threshold. By using THz fields to control the electron motion on sub-optical cycles, we achieve modulation of Rydberg state population and high-order harmonic radiation under the influence of a strong laser field. We analyze the variation of the excited state population with THz intensity, frequency, and the angle between the infrared field polarization and the THz field. Our results show that, with the assistance of the THz field, population inversion occurs between the Rydberg states. This study provides a feasible scheme for THz amplification based on Rydberg atoms and holds significant implications for THz amplification, high-sensitivity detection, and quantum information processing.