Demonstration of high power terahertz sources driven by intense femtosecond lasers

We have demonstrated an intense plasma-based THz source using ∼5 TW femtosecond laser pulses to irradiate solid targets. The energy of a single THz pulse emitted in the laser specular direction increases with the laser energy. The maximum THz energy can be as high as tens µJ/sr. The polarization of the THz pulse is measured to be linear.