Wideband THz time domain spectroscopy set-up based on ultrafast pulsed laser: model and experiments

Abstract

We present an analytical model describing the full electromagnetic propagation in a THz Time Domain Spectroscopy (THz-TDS) laser based system. We pay particular attention to the modelling of the time-frequency behavior of all the stages, which compose our experimental set-up. In particular, our model takes into account the following features: pump beam focusing into the generation crystal; phase-matching between pump and THz pulses inside both the generation and detection crystals; chromatic dispersion and absorption inside the materials; Fabry-Perot effect in both the crystals; diffraction along the propagation, focalization and overlapping between THz and probe beams; Electro-Optic Sampling. The data obtained from our experimental set-up are in optimum agreement with simulations, so proving the effectiveness of our model.