Recording of Terahertz Pulses of Microsecond Duration Using the Thermoacoustic Effect

• Published in: Radiophysics and quantum electronics 2014, Vol.56 (8-9), p.566-573
• Main Authors: Andreev, V. G., Vdovin, V. A., Kalynov, Yu. K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Astronomy; Astrophysics and Astroparticles; Chromium; Contact; Detectors; Electric waves; Electromagnetic radiation; Electromagnetic waves; Electromagnetism; Ethyl alcohol; Hadrons; Heavy Ions; Lasers; Mathematical and Computational Physics; Nuclear Physics; Nuclear radiation; Observations and Techniques; Optical Devices; Optics; Photonics; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Quantum Optics; Quartz; Recording; Theoretical; Thermoacoustics; Thermodynamics; Thick films
• ISSN: 0033-8443; 1573-9120
• DOI: 10.1007/s11141-014-9460-6

We consider the possibility of using a thermoacoustic detector (TAD) for recording of high-power pulse radiation at frequencies of 0.55, 0.68, and 0.87 THz. Electromagnetic wave is transformed into an acoustic wave in a structure consisting of a 10-nm thick chromium film deposited on a quartz substrate and a layer of the immersion liquid that is in contact with the film. It is shown that for the pulse of microsecond duration (3–10  μ s) the waveform detected by the thermoacoustic detector is matched with high accuracy to the derivative of the terahertz pulse profile. For recording of electromagnetic radiation in the 0.5–0.9 THz frequency range it is possible to employ the simplified design of TAD, in which a transparent quartz substrate is in contact with a layer of water or ethanol.