Narrowband terahertz generation with chirped-and-delayed laser pulses in periodically poled lithium niobate

We generate narrowband terahertz (THz) radiation in periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) crystals using two chirped-and-delayed driver pulses from a high-energy Ti: sapphire laser. The generated frequency is determined by the phase-matching condition in the PPLN and influences the temporal delay of the two pulses for efficient terahertz generation. We achieve internal conversion efficiencies up to 0.13% as well as a record multicycle THz energy of 40 mu J at 0.544 THz in a cryogenically cooled PPLN. (C) 2017 Optical Society of America