Wideband 15 THz response using organic electro-optic polymer emitter-sensor pairs at telecommunication wavelengths

Poled polymer films are employed in terahertz emission and detection using telecommunication wavelength femtosecond pulses. Films 10-15 mu m thick with electro-optic coefficients as high as 160 pm/V at 1300 nm are used to generate and sense subpicosecond pulses with continuous bandwidth up to 15 THz. Terahertz emission from a poled polymer film is compared to terahertz emission from the organic crystal DAST. The use of a poled polymer as the terahertz sensor allows the identification of DAST phonons at 1.1, 3.0, 5.3, 8.5, and 12.5 THz. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics.