We present a rapid-scan, time-domain terahertz spectrometer employing femtosecond Er:fiber technology and an acousto-optic delay with attosecond precision, enabling scanning of terahertz transients over a 12.4-ps time window at a waveform refresh rate of 36 kHz, and a signal-to-noise ratio of 1.7 × 105. Our approach enables real-time monitoring of dynamic THz processes at unprecedented speeds, which we demonstrate through rapid 2D thickness mapping of a spinning teflon disc at a precision of 10 nm/. The compact, all-optical design ensures alignment-free operation even in harsh environments.
References
1.
P. U.
Jepsen
, D. G.
Cooke
, and M.
Koch
, “Terahertz spectroscopy and imaging—Modern techniques and applications
,” Laser Photonics Rev.
5
, 124
(2011
).2.
M.
Tonouchi
, “Cutting-edge terahertz technology
,” Nat. Photonics
1
, 97
(2007
).3.
R.
Ulbricht
, E.
Hendry
, J.
Shan
, T. F.
Heinz
, and M.
Bonn
, “Carrier dynamics in semiconductors studied with time resolved terahertz spectroscopy
,” Rev. Mod. Phys.
83
, 543
(2011
).4.
5.
R.
Huber
, F.
Tauser
, A.
Brodschelm
, M.
Bichler
, G.
Abstreiter
, and A.
Leitenstorfer
, “How many-particle interactions develop after ultrafast excitation of an electron-hole plasma
,” Nature
414
, 286
(2001
).6.
R. A.
Kaindl
, M. A.
Carnahan
, D.
Hägele
, R.
Lövenich
, and D. S.
Chemla
, “Ultrafast terahertz probes of transient conducting and insulating phases in an electron–hole gas
,” Nature
423
, 734
(2003
).7.
M.
Porer
, U.
Leierseder
, J.-M.
Ménard
, H.
Dachraoui
, L.
Mouchliadis
, I. E.
Perakis
, U.
Heinzmann
, J.
Demsar
, K.
Rossnagel
, and R.
Huber
, “Non-thermal separation of electronic and structural orders in a persisting charge density wave
,” Nat. Mater.
13
, 857
(2014
).8.
A.
Pashkin
, M.
Porer
, M.
Beyer
, K. W.
Kim
, A.
Dubroka
, C.
Bernhard
, X.
Yao
, Y.
Dagan
, R.
Hackl
, A.
Erb
, J.
Demsar
, R.
Huber
, and A.
Leitenstorfer
, “Femtosecond response of quasiparticles and phonons in superconducting YBCO studied by wideband terahertz spectroscopy
,” Phys. Rev. Lett.
105
, 067001
(2010
).9.
T.
Kampfrath
, A.
Sell
, G.
Klatt
, A.
Pashkin
, S.
Mährlein
, T.
Dekorsy
, M.
Wolf
, M.
Fiebig
, A.
Leitenstorfer
, and R.
Huber
, “Coherent terahertz control of antiferromagnetic spin waves
,” Nat. Photonics
5
, 31
(2011
).10.
T.
Kampfrath
, M.
Battiato
, P.
Maldonado
, G.
Eilers
, J.
Nötzold
, S.
Mährlein
, V.
Zbarsky
, F.
Freimuth
, Y.
Mokrousov
, S.
Blügel
, M.
Wolf
, I.
Radu
, P. M.
Oppeneer
, and M.
Münzenberg
, “Terahertz spin current pulses controlled by magnetic heterostructures
,” Nat. Nanotechnol.
8
, 256
(2013
).11.
A.
Arora
, T. Q.
Luong
, M.
Krüger
, Y. J.
Kim
, C.-H.
Nam
, A.
Manz
, and M.
Havenith
, “Terahertz-time domain spectroscopy for the detection of PCR amplified DNA in aqueous solution
,” Analyst
137
, 575
(2012
).12.
V. C.
Nibali
and M.
Havenith
, “New insights into the role of water in biological function: Studying solvated biomolecules using terahertz absorption spectroscopy in conjunction with molecular dynamics simulations
,” J. Am. Chem. Soc.
136
, 12800
(2014
).13.
A.
Markelz
, S.
Whitmire
, J.
Hillebrecht
, and R.
Birge
, “THz time domain spectroscopy of biomolecular conformational modes
,” Phys. Med. Biol.
47
, 3797
(2002
).14.
D.
Mittleman
, Sensing with Terahertz Radiation
, Springer Series in Optical Sciences (Springer
, Berlin
, 2003
), p. 117
.15.
K.
Kawase
, Y.
Ogawa
, Y.
Watanabe
, and H.
Inoue
, “Non-destructive terahertz imaging of illicit drugs using spectral fingerprints
,” Opt. Express
11
, 2549
(2003
).16.
W. L.
Chan
, J.
Deibel
, and D. M.
Mittleman
, “Imaging with terahertz radiation
,” Rep. Prog. Phys.
70
, 1325
(2007
).17.
R.
Chakkittakandy
, J.
Corver
, and P.
Planken
, “Quasi-near field terahertz generation and detection
,” Opt. Express
16
, 12794
(2008
).18.
D.
Molter
, F.
Ellrich
, T.
Weinland
, S.
George
, M.
Goiran
, F.
Keilmann
, R.
Beigang
, and J.
Léotin
, “High-speed terahertz time-domain spectroscopy of cyclotron resonance in pulsed magnetic field
,” Opt. Express
18
, 26163
(2010
).19.
N.
Chen
and Q.
Zhu
, “Rotary mirror array for high-speed optical coherence tomography
,” Opt. Lett.
27
, 607
(2002
).20.
G.
Klatt
, R.
Gebs
, C.
Janke
, T.
Dekorsy
, and A.
Bartels
, “Rapid-scanning terahertz precision spectrometer with more than 6 THz spectral coverage
,” Opt. Express
17
, 22847
(2009
).21.
S.
Kray
, F.
Spöler
, T.
Hellerer
, and H.
Kurz
, “Electronically controlled coherent linear optical sampling for optical coherence tomography
,” Opt. Express
18
, 9976
(2010
).22.
Y.
Kim
and D.-S.
Yee
, “High-speed terahertz time-domain spectroscopy based on electronically controlled optical sampling
,” Opt. Lett.
35
, 3715
(2010
).23.
R.
Dietz
, N.
Viehweg
, T.
Puppe
, A.
Zach
, B.
Globisch
, T.
Göbel
, P.
Leisching
, and M.
Schell
, “All fiber-coupled THz-TDS system with kHz measurement rate based on electronically controlled optical sampling
,” Opt. Lett.
39
, 6482
(2014
).24.
T.
Hochrein
, R.
Wilk
, M.
Mei
, R.
Holzwarth
, N.
Krumbholz
, and M.
Koch
, “Optical sampling by laser cavity tuning
,” Opt. Express
18
, 1613
(2010
).25.
O.
Schubert
, M.
Eisele
, V.
Crozatier
, N.
Forget
, D.
Kaplan
, and R.
Huber
, “Rapid-scan acousto-optical delay line with 34 kHz scan rate and 15 as precision
,” Opt. Lett.
38
, 2907
(2013
).26.
P.
Tournois
, “Acousto-optical programmable dispersive filter for adaptive compensation of group delay time dispersion in laser systems
,” Opt. Commun.
140
, 245
(1997
).27.
I.
Znakovskaya
, E.
Fill
, N.
Forget
, P.
Tournois
, M.
Seidel
, O.
Pronin
, F.
Krausz
, and A.
Apolonski
, “Dual frequency comb spectroscopy with a single laser
,” Opt. Lett.
39
, 5471
(2014
).28.
G.
Krauss
, S.
Lohss
, T.
Hanke
, A.
Sell
, S.
Eggert
, R.
Huber
, and A.
Leitenstorfer
, “Synthesis of a single cycle of light with compact erbium-doped fibre technology
,” Nat. Photonics
4
, 33
(2010
).29.
F.
Brunner
, O.
Kwon
, S.
Kwon
, M.
Jazbinšek
, A.
Schneider
, and P.
Günter
, “A hydrogen-bonded organic nonlinear optical crystal for high-efficiency terahertz generation and detection
,” Opt. Express
16
, 16496
(2008
).30.
N.
Palka
, S.
Krimi
, F.
Ospald
, D.
Miedzinska
, R.
Gieleta
, M.
Malek
, and R.
Beigang
, “Precise determination of thicknesses of multilayer polyethylene composite materials by terahertz time-domain spectroscopy
,” J. Infrared Millimeter Terahertz Waves
36
, 578
(2015
).© 2016 AIP Publishing LLC.
2016
AIP Publishing LLC
You do not currently have access to this content.