Ramakrishnan G, Chakkittakandy R, Planken PCM. Terahertz generation from graphite.
OPTICS EXPRESS 2009;
17:16092-16099. [PMID:
19724609 DOI:
10.1364/oe.17.016092]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
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 crystals suggest that the THz radiation is generated by a transient photocurrent in a direction normal to the graphene planes, along the c-axis of the crystal. This is supported by magnetic-field induced changes in the THz electric-field polarization, and consequently, the direction of the photocurrent. We show that other forms of graphite, such as a pencil drawing on paper, are also capable of emitting THz pulses.
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