Single-cycle megawatt terahertz pulse generation from a wavelength-scale plasma oscillator driven by ultrashort laser pulses

Abstract

The tremendous applications of terahertz (THz) spectroscopy and imaging require THz sources in different parameters. We propose a novel scheme to generate single-cycle powerful THz pulses by ultrashort intense laser pulses incident obliquely on a tenuous plasma slab of few THz wavelengths in thickness. This is made possible by driving a large amplitude electron plasma wave in the plasma slab, thus producing a net transient current at the plasma surfaces. Theory and simulations show that such a THz source is capable of providing megawatt power and field strength of MV/cm, which may open up new horizons for nonlinear THz science and applications.