Enhanced Terahertz Emission from Alcohol Solutions Induced by Ultrashort Laser Pulses

The development of high-performance terahertz sources is crucial for the application of terahertz radiation. In this study, it has been experimentally demonstrated that strong terahertz radiation is generated from alcohol solutions when they are induced by femtosecond laser pulses. According to experiment results, terahertz radiation from n-butanol solution with volume fraction of 50% is approximately 2.5 times that from liquid water under the same laser excitation conditions. The physical mechanism responsible for this enhancement in alcohol solutions is analyzed by experimental measurements and molecular dynamics simulations. It is inferred that strong terahertz radiation from n-butanol solutions may be attributed to its high conductivity, narrow band gap, and low cohesive energy density.